Lily Of The Valley
by icegirljenni
Summary: After long a search for Rin who had unknowingly disappeared from the western fortress 5 years ago, Sesshoumaru finds her in a human village with a son. Who is the father of the kid? What had happened to Rin in these 5 years? Will happiness return to Rin?
1. A nightmarish chapter in Rin

**The Lily of the Valley signifies "The Return of Happiness"**

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**Disclaimer:** The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of Rumiko Takahashi.

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*****Chapter 1 – A nightmarish chapter in Rin's life*****

The night was young, calm and quiets a while ago, but soon after the stars that were twinkling brightly overhead disappears. All of which is quickly replaced by the appearance of numerous dark clouds with a strong wind blow. The heavens indicated that rain showers will begin anytime; in fact it was expected to be a thunder storm. It is a midnight with neither the roads nor the gardens showing any signs of life, not a human being insight. Then without warning the silence of the night has been broken.

"Lord Sesshouamru!" Rin lets out a loud scream. The nightmares have haunted the young girl quite frequently of late. She keeps having this strange nightmare every now and then, it become clearer each time it recurred. She dreamt that a group of tiger demons came and attacked her lord's castle and her lord was defeated. It was a nasty dream because Rin has never seen her lord defeated after he gained his own sword Bakusaiga, with which he had surpassed his father in terms of power during the confrontation with Magatsuhi , the evil spirit from the sacred jewel shard that was possessed by Naraku. It happened when Rin was still a child. In her dream she saw how the tiger's demon devoured on her beloved Lord's flesh, until her Lord ceased to breathe. The demon was laughing out loud before he exclaimed insults in front of Rin. "A pathetic weak dog, now that you are finished your land will be mine as well as your women." When the demon made his advance to the place where Rin was standing, she cried out her lord's name, that's when Rin awakes up from the nightmares every time.

She is shivering, the night is uncharacteristically chilly, and Rin is sure that she had all the windows tightly shut before she went to bed. What is strange is that she feels this chill is coming from the lower part of her body. It is not the chill alone that is disturbing her; she feels a terrible pain coming from her belly. Although a little pain was not uncommon but the pain that she feels now is unbearable. Rin rises from the bed and struggles to move herself to the side of the bed. She is trying to reach for the lantern in the dark, which is placed on top of the table right beside the bed. She manages to grab hold of the lantern and lights it up. She then brings the lantern closer and examines herself. When she moves the lantern a bit lower to her belly she notices a wet trail. Concerned, she follows the trail to the lower part of her body. The revelation turns her skin pale. She is shocked to find that her bed is also wet. It didn't take her long to realize that her water broke while she was sleeping. The pain that she is experiencing right now has confirmed to her that she is about to deliver.

Rin is afraid; she knows that Tsuyu san will not be here until next morning, as she has informed Rin earlier that she needs to take care of her sick granddaughter since her son was away on duty. Besides, she did not expect to deliver early; it is supposed to be one week away before the baby is due. "Oh my sweet child, why did you have to arrive into the world at this time?" Rin mutters melancholy while stroking her belly. Rin realizes that she cannot let her grief distract her from focusing. The longer she stays here, worse the situation will turn into. She gets determined to be strong at least for the sake of her child. She gets up and puts on her kimono before she picks up a bamboo bag that was given to her by Kagome for her to keep her belongings. Inside the bamboo bag there are two clean white cloths, one fine silk and a small pillow. Once she has her slippers on, she inhales deeply and exhales for a couple of times. The pain is growing; she knows that she can't hold it for long. She needs to make haste and head to Tsuyu san's house, as the house is only 15 minutes away on foot. She knows she can do it.

Rin reached for the door to slide it open when she hears the loud crackle of the thunderstorm, which makes her step backward from the door and almost loosing her balance. She regains her balance and walks closer to the door and quickly opens it wide. "Oh kami sama..." Rin clamps her mouth with her fingers in shock. The down pour is relentlessly heavy.

Visibility is appalling to the point she couldn't see anything in the immediate vicinity in front of her with the wind blowing hard and lightning striking frequently. Given the bleak situation it seems impossible for her to walk over to Tsuyu san's house. It will probably take more than 15 minutes to reach Tsuyu san's house in this weather. Rin hesitates for a moment but is determined to not give up. She quickly turns back into the house to pick up an umbrella along with the lantern. She shifts the bamboo bag onto her shoulder. She has her right hand holding the umbrella while her left hand holds up the lantern to light up the path ahead. Without remembering to close the door behind her, she braves into the darkness to head to Tsuyu san's house.

The path ahead is hard to see, the lantern she is carrying is proving to be of little use. The soil is softening with the down pour, her steps are getting harder and harder now with her stomach pain growing ever more. She finds the need to stop frequently in between to breathe and then continue on. A strong draft almost whisks her umbrella away but Rin manages to hold on and tighten the grip before she continues on.

The pain is really unbearable now and Rin starts to run instead of walking. She has to reach Tsuyu san's house in time as the child's safety is in danger. As she walks rapidly her right foot collides with a fairly large rock, throwing her off balance and she falls on the grass. The bamboo bag bounces away, as well as her umbrella and the lantern. She tries to get back up but finds her right foot is injured. Her stomach landed so hard on the grass that it makes her feel like it is almost about to explode. The pain is excruciating. Tears roll down her cheek; she starts to cry out for help. But it proves pointless, as no one will be passing by at this hour especially in these weather conditions. Things are really not going her way now.

She can not stand nor even move herself. She tries to use her ankle and push herself into a sitting position. She then slowly crawls to the nearby tree to rest her back. Her kimono is now soiled with mud. The temperature is dropping, she is now feeling the freezing cold and she can't feel her hands. Rin rests her head on the tree while stroking her pain belly slowly. Her right foot is bleeding, her arms and her belly paining, and she is exhausted. She can barely move any part of her limbs. She is lost as to what she can do now, she has no energy, she can't move back to her hut or head to Tsuyu san's house. All she can do now is cry.

Out of hopelessness she starts crying hoping someone would pass by to hear her voice. She just isn't able to hold back her tears anymore. The tears stream down her dirty cheek as she tries to wipe it away with her palm. She feels so... lonely and scared. Things would have been better if Lord Sesshoumaru were around. "Lord Sesshoumaru please helps me" Rin tiredly whispers her lord's name with her eyes shut. Her lord's image keeps coming to her mind at this time; as she knows whenever she was in trouble her lord will always come for her and when her lord is present she fears nothing.

Wiping her eyes with her Kimono sleeve, Rin slowly opens her tired eyes and to her distress she has notices that blood started to stain her kimono that covers her legs. "Oh no kami sama please helps my child..." Rin realizes that this is not the time to cry, she needs to deliver her child here or else her child could end up dying in her womb. She shifts her sights to search for her bamboo bag; luckily the bag was not hurled far away. She uses the energy from her arms to move herself to the location of the bag, and then needs to crawls slowly, very slowly to a better place. She needs to find a good shaded zone. At least she needs to find a larger tree, which would be enough to shade her from the water from reaching her body.

After a bit of looking around she finds a reasonable spot. She takes out a white cloth from her bamboo bag and lays it out on the grass before she shifts her body on top of the cloth. Resting her head back on the tree, she pulls her kimono higher to her waist level and parts her legs. She has helped Sango and Kagome in delivering before when she was left under the care of kaede so she knows some techniques that might help her to deliver her child easier. All she needs to do is to breathe harder and push harder. She keeps breathing and pushing for at least 8 minutes and her efforts are paying off. Rin manages to push the head of her child out, and soon through rainy background noise she could hear her child's telltale crying. Tired, Rin manages a smile. The sounds of her child crying reaffirms to her that her child is safe.

All the pain that she feels somehow instantly fades away by her child's crying. Her child is her life and means everything for her. Rin takes another clean white cloth and wipes the blood that covers her child's body. She wraps the baby with a silk cloth that she has brought along. Rin uses the now stained white cloth to clean the blood on her thighs and she pulls her kimono down to cover her freezing legs. Rin then curls herself holding her child close to her chest. She needs to keep the baby warm.

She parts the silk a bit to check her child's gender; she couldn't hold her tears as she finds out that she has just delivered a son. She smiles broadly. The world around her and its problems seems to be unimportant now, as long as her son is safe in her arms. She places a warm kiss on her son's forehead and observes her son attentively. "Aww my poor son, you look exactly like your father." Rin just couldn't hide her happiness as she grins happily from ear to ear to herself. "You will grow up to be as strong as your father, as handsome as your father." Rin whispers gleefully before placing another kiss on her son's forehead. She starts to ponder what name she should give to her son. And then it happened, she has this name playing in her thoughts. "Aito! Yes my son's will be name Aito. Oh my dear Aito, you will be a healthy son. Your father will be so proud of you" Rin kids to her son proudly while she hugs her son tightly. She names her son after affection, affection towards Aito's father. Aito is a gift from the love she has for him.

Rin closes her tired eyes, she is thoroughly exhausted now. She is freezing, she has nothing to cover her body and all she hopes is that she can give her son enough warmth. His small frail body will not be able to survive this nasty weather. She opens her eyes slowly and looks at the patch of grass around her, it feels so inviting. The grass looks so comfortable that she couldn't resist laying her body on it. Rin starts to gently rock back and forth, trying to provide her son with the soothing sense of warmth and comfort him. She then slowly starts to lay her body onto the grass and place Aito on top of her right arm.

Aito seems to have dozed off. Rin gazes at her son worriedly, the rain has now slowed to a drizzle. With dawn approaching very soon, she hopes that some villager will start their daily routine a bit early, she needs someone to bring her to Tsuyu san's house. Rin's vision started to get blurry, she can barely keep her eyes open for long, and she decides to shut her eyes while laying in wait for the villagers to spot her. Rin starts to hum a song while gently massaging the back of her son. "In the mountain in the breeze, in the forest in my dream, Lord Sesshoumaru where are you? Jaken is serving under you." Rin hums the song with a lump in her throat, tears stream down from her closing eyes. Her heart is aching, she lost her parents when she was a child; she was bullied by the villagers. Her life got better when she met with Lord Sesshoumaru. Right now she is suffering yet another nightmare, and that too her son has to face the same tough circumstances. She blames herself for not being able to deliver Aito at a comfortable safe place. She clenches her fist and cries out. "Lord Sesshoumaru I miss you so much!"

Rin feels like she is drifting away into another world, she stops massaging her son's back. She thinks that she has lost her consciousness. Suddenly she feels a mild warmth encircle her body, she tries to figure out what it is as she is pretty sure dawn is yet to approach. Forcing her tired eyes to open, her blurry vision catches a tall white figure, very close to her. She tries to clear her vision but she is too exhausted to do so. Rin feels her body is being lifted up by strong arms. She tightens her hold on her son while she feels she is being embraced by someone. It doesn't matter who this person is, she just feels so warm. "Lord Sesshouamru?" she murmured to herself while grabbing this person's hand and shaking desperately before she continues on. "Lord Sesshoumaru please help me, please take me to Tsuyu san's house, Aito ! He needs to be kept warm, PLEASE MY LORD!" Rin cries out these final pleas before she passes out.

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**Chapter End Notes:**

Hi guys, I have never write story in my life :p so this is my first attempt at writing anime fiction, please help me to improve with honest comments (^_^) I will thank you for that as well.

*million hugs and thanks to Mr. Vikas for being my beta reader.*

Love,

Jenni


	2. Rin I have returned

**The Lily of the Valley signifies "The Return of Happiness"**

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**Disclaimer:** The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of Rumiko Takahashi.

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*******Chapter Two – "_Rin I have returned"*****_**

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_4 years pass by …_

It was a sunny day the blue skies are clear and the sunlight shining through the trees lighting up the path in the forest. There are birds in the clear blue heavens, several movements upon the lively green earth surrounding by cherry blossom trees. Sesshomaru's gaze is fixed upon the northern horizon. Out of the blue heavens three little specks appear which increase in size with every passing moment, approaching rapidly. They speedily resolve themselves into three large brown birds which start circling over the head of the little kappa, and then they settle upon some rocks overlooking the kappa. All in all, this is an absolutely beautiful morning.

After traversing through several paths, the Bone Eater's well is now visible. Sesshoumaru slows his pace, and gazes at the group of kids who are playing around the well. The little kappa follows curiously. He is at a loss as to why his lord had to return here again. But sensing that his lord was not in the best of moods, he keeps the thought to himself. They continue on and reach the sacred tree. Standing in front of the sacred tree, Sesshoumaru observes the surroundings attentively before turning up to face the cloudless heavens and murmurs to himself… "_Rin I have returned_"…..

7 years ago, when Rin reached 14 years of age, Sesshoumaru had come here to ask Rin if she decided on living with her own kind or to continue travelling with him. She had chosen to continue on with her lord without hesitation. It was her wish after all to live with her lord forever. Rin was brought to the western land, to his castle, where he could ensure her safety. At the western fortress she had begun to take up lessons, to enhance her reading, writing and learn simple self defense skills. Sesshoumaru wanted Rin to become bit a stronger and proper women, certainly for a wife to be. Rin surprised Sesshoumaru with her level of intelligence when she mastered those skills in less than 3 months. She had proved to everyone in the fortress that she is not merely some simple weak human being. With that Sesshoumaru had many such reasons to be proud of her.

Rin had an innocent and kind hearted nature. She was adorable to everyone in the entire fortress. She could befriend almost anyone in the fortress with the utmost ease, be it a maid, a gardener or a simple kitchen helper. To her everyone in the castle had the same level of status. Rin never differentiated people by their work or roles within the fortress. She certainly didn't hold herself in higher regard above the rest, even though she had Sesshoumaru to back her up all the time when things went wrong. Her smile was thoroughly contagious; she always smiled so freely to everyone she encountered. Like her trusted maid claimed, it always felt so comfortable to have Rin around, even Sesshoumaru himself did not deny this. Whenever he had a tough day's duty, Rin's infectious smile with her sweet scent tranquilizing the ambience always felt calm and relaxing. This explained as to why the Lord of the Western land would find himself visiting his ward chamber whenever he returned from his duty.

After a year Rin seems to have grown fonder with everyone in the fortress. The western fortress had become her "home" while Sesshoumaru never considered his fortress as his home. But Rin's presence in the fortress had certainly changed Sesshoumaru's mind. The castle definitely felt like a home, a garden with all the colors present in it to invigorate the mind, the voice of a young girl heard singing in every corner of the castle, the sweet cherry blossom scent lingering in the air and the most importantly the beautiful smile of a young girl always spotted in the castle.

Apart from growing fonder with everyone in the fortress, Rin seemed to have built a strange gap with Sesshoumaru. She felt she could no longer freely be herself in front of her lord. She would not turn to Sesshoumaru anymore when she had a problem bothering her. She felt like the adoration that she had for her lord had slowly thawed and a new feeling has developed pretty quickly in her. Her blushing when their eyes met, the uneasiness during their simple conversations, the strange feeling whenever she looked at her lord, she just couldn't look away from him and her heart beat raced. A minor mistake in the choice of words from her would cause Rin to spend hours to think about it and the episode was followed by a few sleepless nights. She just couldn't explain this reaction and the feeling of being embarrassed. When Rin finally brought the matter to her trusted maid's attention in a discussion, she finally realized that she had grown a strong affection towards Sesshoumaru. Yes, she had fallen in love with her lord. Poor Rin, that mysterious change was too subtle and too gradual to be measured by dates. Least of all did the maiden herself know it until the touch of a hand set her heart racing within her, and she learned with a mixture of pride and fear that a new and a larger nature has awakened within her.

Having taken notice of Rin's sudden change, Sesshoumaru silently observed her, His youkai senses picked up her rising pulse each time they spend time together. It was kind of a strange feeling but it was a sweet moment to see how the girl struggled to respond to those changes in her. So the bud blossomed into a flower, and the sight of a little girl singing and dancing freely was replaced with a taller and feminine looking shy woman. Sesshoumaru used smirk to himself sometimes when he thought about it, but concerning about her reaction, Sesshoumaru did not wish to tease the girl further. As much as he hated to allow anyone get closer to him, he seemed to be quite comfortable to let Rin know him inside out. At one point he even allowed the girl to read his emotions on many occasions. With the feelings constantly changing between them, Sesshoumaru decided to end the girl's inner torture by allowing her to open up about her feelings.

One warm night during the late autumn 5 years ago, when everyone in the fortress were busy celebrating the Lord of the western land's victory in defeating the phantom demon who showed up at the border, Sesshoumaru had brought Rin to his private garden, his personal bed chamber, the place where he allowed himself and Rin to share their little secret, a heart to heart conversation while slowly dancing under the moonlight, holding each other tightly like there's no tomorrow. That was when they sealed their first kiss. With the stars twinkling above, they treasured that moment until they were lost in a world of their own...

"Keh what are you doing here Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha sarcastically interrupts and brakes Sesshoumaru's wandering thought.

"Don't tell me you have started to develop an emotion towards me!" Inuyasha continues his annoyance while Sesshoumaru returns his half demon brother a stern look.

"Of course we are not here to visit you, who do you think you are? My Lord was just passing by and about to leave so stop bothering us Inuyasha!" Jaken slams Inuyasha furiously before Sesshoumaru interrupts him.

"Let's go Jaken!" Sesshoumaru turns away from the sacred tree and gets ready to leave the spot before Inuyasha continues his sarcastic insinuations.

"Keh what an arrogant brat, judging by your emotions now I guess you have not found Rin yet. Don't tell me that you have traveled the lands from north to east and to the south for this long and still unable to locate a human?"

Sesshoumaru stops in his tracks, he did not feel like arguing with his brother. Perhaps what Iuyasha said is right, what is the point in being the strongest demon when he failed to find Rin. He has left his land behind in the search of Rin for almost 5 years now, he just couldn't trace her. Quick thoughts run through his mind, _Does she intend to avoid me?_ _Why did she want to leave me?_ _How did she manage to get away from the castle without anyone noticing her? _Sesshoumaru closes his eyes and sighs. He couldn't think of any reason for Rin's disappearance, not with what had happen that night.

"I will definitely find her, it is a matter of time and I shall spare your life today as I don't want this stupid business to delay my chances in searching Rin. Rest assured that I will return one day to make you pay for your words today" Sesshoumaru declares with a growl before continuing his steps. As he walks past Inuyasha, he spots the Miko girl Kagome who seemed to be rushing to catch up with the duo. The little kappa follows his Lord closely.

"Keh what kind of attitude is that? I guess losing Rin doesn't seem to have educated him much. I am glad that Rin didn't stay to witness this brat's pathetic ego. " Inuyasha mumbles as he crosses his arms and turns to face his wife Kagome who has just made it to the sacred tree.

"Hey Inuyasha, why is Sesshoumaru leaving so fast? What have you told him? You must have said something that is bothering him." Kagome inquires while she is still trying to catch her breath. She moves to sit beside Inuyasha who is now throwing himself onto the grass with both his arms and legs stretching wide apart.

"Give me a break Kagome; you sound like I have hurt that Sesshoumaru? He was the one who started it." Inuyasha turns his head in the opposite direction of his wife displaying his dissatisfaction towards Kagome statement.

Kagome shakes her head in resignation, she knows that Inuyasha never got along with Sesshoumaru, but she sincerely feels sorry for Sesshoumaru. He despised humans his entire life, but now he has turned down his ego and has been on the search for Rin for a long time.

"I feel very bad to have hidden Rin's whereabouts. Maybe I should have told Sesshoumaru about it" Kagome states with a sad tone while her sights focus on the direction where Sesshoumaru was headed to.

"Say Inuyasha..." Kagome looks her husband lovingly batting her eye lashes.

"What?" Inuyasha turns and looks at Kagome's face. He notices her eyes are watery. He rises from the grass and places his right hand on top of Kagome's left shoulder.

Kagome affords a sad smile to Inuyasha. She brushes away the tears on her cheeks. She swallows hard as she shuts her eyes and continue.

"Have you ever lost somebody who meant so much to you? I am sure you had a tough time to deal with your emotions when Kikyou passed away, but she was dying in your embrace peacefully isn't it? Sesshoumaru has lost Rin and he hasn't found her. He must be feeling really lonely and worried about Rin. Somehow I can feel that he is really caring for Rin. He has abandoned his land for Rin, which just shows how important Rin is in his heart." Kagome proclaims and turns to hug Inuyasha

"It is alright Kagome, if this brat was sincere in his search for Rin, he will find Rin one day besides ..." Inuyasha strokes Kagome's back and looks at sacred tree.

"If he continues with this path without changing his direction, destiny might once again side him." Inuyasha states while he shifts his sights to the cloudless blue skies.

Few hours have passed after Sesshoumaru left the miko hut. They make their way through the forests. Eventually they encounter two paths in front. One of the paths is right in front of them; while the other one is located on their right hand side.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, which path shall we take?" Jaken anxiously inquires as he turns to face his Lord who seems to be undecided. The little kappa gets busy scanning both paths attentively. He spots two men a bit far off on the right hand path. One of them seem to be carrying a basket full of herbs on their back while the other one has a basket loaded with rice. Jaken hurries himself to approach the villagers and starts to question them.

"Hey there humans, can you tell me where will these two paths take us to?" Jaken asks the villagers while he motions with his finger to the two paths. Both of these men were shocked with Jaken's sudden approach; they also stared at the scary tall white figure demon that is standing not far away from this little demon. While they did not wish to risk their lives by upsetting the fierce white demon, one of the men wearing a grey kimono volunteers to answer the question.

"Th…..this right path will lead you to a small village, there are only 3 families living there and one of the families owns the small paddy field. We use to head there to exchange some rice for herbs." The man replied with a rather unclear voice as he was quaking out of fear. The second man, who has a dark blue kimono on, helps his friend to answer the next question.

"While this main path will lead you to another village which is own by Shinobu and his family. They have a huge plantation, and sell their crops at the nearby town. That village was quite famous until two years ago when they were attacked by the bandits who killed quite a lots of villagers and most of their crops were spoiled in the barbaric attack, but they have recovered a lot in this recent year, and the latest I heard they have started to grow their plants back slowly. It will take you half day to reach that village. Did you both come here on visiting purpose? Perhaps I can help to lead you both to a proper direction if you could give me the name of your friend?" The man adds the question before he glances at both Jaken and Sesshoumaru.

"We are seeking a girl." Sesshoumaru replies stoically without looking at the villagers.

"Oh then you can proceed on the main path, because the small town which I had mentioned earlier has a famous Geisha House to which almost all demons and rich men head to have fun some. I am sure you can get any girl you desire in that house." The grey Kimono adorned man replies with a big laugh which is enough to boil Sesshoumaru's blood. He instantly moves to the man's side who is still laughing and grabs the man's neck with his sharp poison claws piercing into the man's flesh. Sesshoumaru glares furiously at the shocked man with his already red shot eyes.

"Do not compare Rin with those bitches in that Geisha house, you got it human?" Sesshoumaru's voice rises as he roars these words out. This is enough to scare the man. A curious dripping noise is heard by all present; it sounds much like liquid slowly running down and hitting the earth softly. The poor man who is in Sesshoumaru's gripe is urinating in his undergarments. He starts to apologize profusely for unintentionally insulting the girl and begs the Lord to spare his life while his friend who is witnessing this incident from the beginning has started to run like a rabbit on the escape from the claws of a fox, leaving his friend behind to whatever fate he may face. Sesshoumaru throws the man to the nearby tree without mercy. "Leave now or I will kill you." He lashes out.

The terrified man runs as fast as he can, leaving the little kappa and the angry dog demon behind.

"Serves you right pathetic humans! Don't ever let me see you again or I will roast you with my staff." Jaken loudly gloats and laughs at the runaway man, though if Sesshoumaru was not around the little kappa will not be oh so smug but rather the scared one...

Jaken moves closer to Sesshoumaru. "Lord Sesshoumaru what are we going to do now?" the little kappa looks worriedly at his Lord who still looks infuriated. Sesshoumaru turns and focuses on the paths. He is fully aware that he cannot miss out on any chance to seek out Rin, but what he does not know is that one of the paths is going to change his life forever...

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**Chapter End Notes:**

My sincere thank you to all the readers who has chose to attempt on reading my story. Thank you so much :)

Thank you to those has review my chapter1, i always ensure myself to respond to all the reviewer as they have taken their precious time to comment on my piece of story so I need to ensure them that i had read their comment and i had taken note and it mean so much for me to move another step further in enhancing my way of writing, though it may just be a simple thank you, but it still my sincere thank you to value your reviewing.


	3. Embrace our destiny

**The Lily of the Valley signifies "The Return of Happiness"**

"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out."

~_ Roy Croft quotes_ ~

**Disclaimer:** The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of Rumiko Takahashi.

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******* Chapter Three – Embrace our destiny *******

The smell is of burning wood in the air, black soot flying all over the place, people blowing into the furnace to spread the fire or increase the fire rate. The sounds of knives coming in contact with the cutting boards, the low whistle from boiling water in the kettle, and hot oil crackling in the pans are clearly audible. This is the environment of a kitchen; it is always a busy life, noisy and packed.

Rin works as a kitchen helper. She alone handles the entire cooking task from morning to evening, She is not required to work at night times because the task of serving food will be handled by a different group of people, unless there were things which the kitchen required urgently to be attended to, then she will have to work more hours into the night but that only happens on rare occasions. Most of the times she gets to leave before night fall and she would have her entire night time dedicated to her son Aito.

Rin was advised to work here by Tusyu san 2 years ago when Rin realized that the food she used to hunt outside was no longer enough to sustain her son a proper meal to ensure her son grew up healthily. Foods like eggs and rice are expensive for it to be purchased by her so she would help in the kitchen and in exchange she would get her meals covered fully. This meant she would have breakfast and lunch while she will get to pack her dinner back home and dined together with Aito. Most of the time Rin would choose to save her lunch portion by drinking water to muffle her hunger, because Aito has started to grow up and he needed more food, which is why she would save her lunch as her 'dinner' and let Aito have the original dinner portion. Sometimes she would even allow Aito to have half the portion of her regular food quota. This is why Rin is getting skinnier compared to herself before she delivered Aito because she only took 2 small meals in a day instead of 3 meals. Tsuyu who works as the leader in the kitchen knows very well that Rin would sacrifice everything just to ensure her son could sleep with a full stomach every night. This is also why sometimes Tsuyu will give her lunch to Rin, and would even ask Rin to take Tsuyu's share of the dinner home too. Tsuyu did not have the need for that food as she would take breakfast at home, besides her son-in-law usually makes her lunch bento and she would have her dinner at home with her family. Like how everyone in the kitchen always says, Tsuyu and Rin look like mother and daughter, they are close and seen everywhere together.

Unlike the usual day's routine, Rin is assigned to prepare a fish dish today, she started to clean the fishes since morning and have it seasoned before she prepares to fry it. Her pace is uncharacteristically slow today as her thoughts are elsewhere. She is worried about her sick son. Aito is sick since a few days ago. He has a serious fever due to the nasty rainy season. His body temperature doesn't seem to going down even after giving him a variety of herbs which were provided by Rin's friends in the kitchen. If he is still showing no signs of recovery she might have to send him to the nearby physician, but then again how will she manage to pay them? Although she can choose to take Aito to the miko hut and get Kaede to heal her son, she was not allowed to take a day off since the kitchen is expecting an important guest for the entire week. So Rin has little choice but to pray for her son's speedy recovery.

Rin was too preoccupied with her worries as she did not realize the fish that she has placed for frying has over fried. The burning smell spreads rapidly around the kitchen catching Akemi's nostrils by surprise who is busy preparing miso soup nearby. She promptly investigates around the kitchen and notices the burning smoke is coming from Rin's area. How could this girl just stand there and do nothing? She wonders.

"Rin! The fish are burning!" Akemi shouted as loud as she could to catch Rin's attention. Her high pitched shout snaps Rin out from the deep thoughts back to the reality, as Rin stares down at the fish her eyes widen and her jaw drops.

"Oh my goodness!" Rin was stunned for a moment to see the fish is spoiled. She quickly covers her nose with her hand and is taken aback as she catches sight of the fire flaming on top of the fish's surface. She manages to move away and get some help. Akemi already arrives on the scene with a pail of water and pours directly onto the fish. Rin surprised by Akemi fast response affords a smile of relief but at the same time she also smells disaster coming her way.

"Rin did you just plan to roast and have yourself nicely served on the plate for our honored guest tonight? Do you realize how dangerous it could turn out? You can never allow the slightest lack of care to happen in the kitchen because it could harm everyone in here." Akemi warns Rin with a sarcastic joke.

"I am sorry Akemi I was just...I mean I did not intend to..." Rin just couldn't finish her sentences as tears start to roll down her cheek, she knows what she has done is totally unacceptable, but she really did not want it to turn out in this way.

"What am I going to do now? The fish preparation is ruined, what are we going to serve the guests tonight?" Rin continues as she uses both her palms to cover her already tear soaked face.

"Come on Rin, lets report this to Tsuyu san, she might have an idea to fix the problem, now wipe those tears away else Tsuyu might think am bullying you, you know how pitifully your face turns into whenever you start to cry." Akemi is teasing Rin as she tries to cheer the girl up. Rin smiles back at Akemi's words as she wipes her tears with her sleeves before both of them head out to the worker's cabin to meet Tsuyu san who is having her lunch at the time.

When both of the girls made their way to the worker's cabin, Tsuyu has just finished her meal. She watches as Akemi rushes into the room followed by Rin who seems to have just cried a moment ago. Instantly she knew that something must have happened in the kitchen but she can't help herself but burst out in laughter by looking at both of their dirty faces. Akemi has minor dark spot on her nose and on the cheeks, while Rin has almost her whole face covered in blackness with only her eyes and teeth visible….

"Girls, what happened to both of you! You both look… err… messy." Tsuyu asks curiously as she moves closer to the girls and takes a closer look at them.

"Tsuyu san I am so sorry, I did not pay much attention while I fried the fish, I was so worried about Aito's condition and I have burned those fish, now we don't have any fish left, what am I suppose to do?" Rin says it with a rather shaky tone as tears start to stream down her face again. Tsuyu san knows that Aito has been sick for a few days now, if the geisha house owner was not expecting some important guests Tsuyu would have Rin take a day off to take care of Aito. Which mother will not worry for her sick kid anyway? So she completely understands Rin's situation now. Tsuyu takes out a handkerchief from her sleeve and wipes the dirt from Rin's face. _Poor girl..._ She whispers to herself.

"Rin look at me, I know what you have been going through in these past few days, less sleep and less food, so now clean the dirt off of your pretty face and don't worry I will figure out a way ok?" Tsuyu reassures Rin as she hands her the handkerchief.

"Yes Rin don't worry about it, the worst thing that could happen is they will just roast me and serve those guests, they won't roast you as I have much more meat than you hahaha." Akemi interjects in a humorous manner and it makes Rin smile slightly while Tsuyu gives Akemi a stern look.

"Akemi you seem to have lot of energy to joke isn't it? Now I have a task for you, it will test your energy levels. So Rin I want you to return to the kitchen and take over Akemi's previous task. Akemi, you will follow me, we need to fix this fish issue." Tsuyu makes herself clear as she grabs Akemi's arms and they both make their way out of the kitchen immediately while Akemi is still unsure with what she is going to do.

Several hours have passed after Sesshoumaru chose to pursue with the main path. They both reach the village that the two villagers mentioned earlier. Sesshoumaru chose to not inspect the smaller village because his instincts told him that if Rin were to stay nearby Inuyasha, it would be close to impossible for not having Rin's scent linger around the miko girl, as both Rin and the miko girl were as close to each other as sisters. So Sesshoumaru decides to move on. They spot the huge plantation. Half of it has been destroyed while the rest seems to have some healthy vegetables growing on it. _So the men were right about the bandit attack. _ Sesshoumaru inspects around the plantation, he is hoping to spot a familiar face, although he does not really expect to see one. He spots and walks over to a few houses located not far from the plantation.

Sesshoumaru instructs Jaken to approach the local villagers to seek more details hoping they will get information on Rin's whereabouts. The little toad walks down the path and reaches the house. As he steps into the house he catches the sound of footsteps rushing to his direction. Without being able to look properly, he gets a glimpse of two ladies running quickly past, who causes him to lose balance and twirl around. The ladies are heading into one of the houses without noticing the little kappa's presence. Jaken grimaces in frustration and starts mumbling to himself. Trying to regain balance, the little toad curses the ladies as he continues to walk in the same direction that the ladies had just taken. He looks around the house area and sees no one there; he continues to move on to the next house, he once again catches the sounds of the same running footsteps rushing in his direction. This time Jaken is determined to stop at least one of these ladies in their tracks. He stands firm in their path, with a look of unwavering seriousness on his face his eyes squinted to mimic that of a tough guy. He is ready for them. Akemi is the first one to show up, she has a bucket of fish in her hands and she runs at the same speed like she did earlier, expectedly she doesn't notice the little toad instead she even steps on the poor fellow.

"Stupid human where has your manners gone? Didn't you notice am here! Nonsense!" Jaken yells at Akemi as he turns to his side. Tsuyu comes running so fast in his direction and this time Jakan stretches the "staff of two head" out and manages to catch Tsuyu's right foot, she trips and falls on the floor with the bucket plashing on the grass.

"Damn it my fish! Stupid little demon why can't you just play elsewhere? Look what you have done now. Didn't you learn some manners from your mother?" Tsuyu shouts at the little toad furiously as she quickly gathers all the fish back into the bucket and readies to leave before Jaken interrupts her.

"Manners you said human? It is you who needs to learn manners! I was here before you came running like a mad cow barging out of the house, you are the one that caused me fall on the floor and your friend even stepped on me, speaking of manners I guess you humans will never have that." Jaken shoots back in furious sarcasm while looking at the lady who has started to move away from him in haste.

"Huh? So Akemi stepped you? Thats great isn't it? Besides you just can't blame us for not noticing you with your size right?" Tsuyu replies back with words laced with insults in a way that's enough to make his blood boil inside as he prepares to slam the lady, she has already left him behind.

"COME BACK HERE bitch! How dare you insult me?" Jaken continues yelling with no one present to listen but himself…

Tsuyu didn't care what that little toad was yelling, she runs as quickly as she can to catch up with Akemi, and at the time Sesshoumaru comes to check on the little toad, that little kappa is sure taking way too much time to get such a small bit of information. When Tsuyu runs past in front of Sesshoumaru, a light breeze blows into his face and he catches a scent. _Rin. _He quickly turns to the direction where the lady was heading. She disappears very quickly from his sights. Sesshoumaru hesitates, he knows that was Rin's scent although it was mildly mixed with the scent from the fish, but with his keen and highly heightened sense of smell, he is sure that he has caught Rin's scent on that lady. Without wasting time, he paces in the direction where the lady was headed he knows that his odds on finding rin are very high at this point.

Akemi is the first one to reach the kitchen, she stops at the main entrance and tries to catch her breath, Tsuyu arrives shortly behind her, and she is also trying to catch her breath.

"Your energy levels are acknowledged now." Tsuyu teases Akemi who is still panting.

"Thanks for that, I have never doubted my strength. Rin could never handle this heavy lifting, and running without rest. You have picked the right person." Akemi replies proudly with a smug grin as Tsuyu laughs at her words before she turns and pick up the bucket and moves into the kitchen, Akemi follows closely behind. As Tsuyu and Akemi enter the kitchen, Rin's eyes widen so much to the point they could pop out any moment as she spots both of them are carrying a bucket full of fish. There are at least some 6 fish in each bucket.

"How did you both manage to catch so many fish in such a short time?" Rin asks in awe.

"Catch? Hah! I don't think I have the skill to able to catch a fish, not even a rabbit I can manage to get a hold off." Akemi replies with a big laugh escaping her mouth.

"Those fish are from my house; remember I told you my sister in law is a fisherman? He came and visited me with my sister last 2 days and those fish were a gift from them, I still have tons in my kitchen ya know." Tsuyu explains as she puts the bucket on the floor and instructs two more girls to help Akemi to clean the fish.

"Thank you so much Tsuyu san, am sorry to cause you so much trouble, if only I pay a little attention in..." As Tsuyu interrupts Rin from completing her sentence, instead she moves closer to Rin's side and places both of her hands on Rin's shoulders.

"Rin, we have sorted the matter now and stop blaming yourself, like I said earlier I know how you feel right now. Go on and finish up with the soup, make sure that the soap looks as pretty as you and tastes as sweet as you, ok?" Tsuyu says it in a little teasing tone as she smiles at Rin who is now blushing.

"While I can ensure you the soup will look tasty I can not promise to make the soup taste sweet, miso soup should taste salty not sweet." Rin pedantically points out as she grins slightly with Tsuyu laughing out loud. They both turn around and continue with their own tasks.

Sesshoumaru has followed the scent from the lady and it has brought him here to this small town. He continues searching until he reaches the Geisha House, the scent of the lady he encountered earlier is lingering strongly around in this place. Sesshoumaru frowns in disfavor, he doesn't care to know why the lady's scent is caught around here but what concerns him is why will Rin's scent hang around this lady? Is Rin also working at this place? What the hell has happened to Rin? How did she end up working at this bloody, dirty and cheap place? He clenches his fist till they bleed. His blood is boiling in his veins just by picturing the scene of Rin being manhandled by those bastards in bed. Whatever the reason is, he is certain that Rin was being kidnapped and sold out to this place, whoever the bastard is, he is definitely not going to let him live peacefully. _I will make sure they have plenty of extra pleasures with my sharp poison claws! _Sesshoumaru thinks to himself as he lets out a low growl. He does not break into the Geisha House as his heart desires, instead he chooses to observe the surroundings, hoping to catch Rin's sight. After several minutes of inspecting, he sees no one. He comes to a decision that this place will only function after night fall, which means the lady that he saw a while ago might be a kitchen helper. Sesshoumaru decides to wait until night fall, He moves to the nearby tree and sits there, raising his right leg up, he rests his right arm on top of his right knee while he has the Geisha House view fully in his sights, this time there will be no mistakes, he needs to get Rin when she shows up.

Hours pass by and the sunny clear blue skies are replaced by the orange-yellowish hue of sun set. Rin has the miso soup done an hour ago and she is helping the others to clean up the kitchen, she has finished gathering all the garbage, sweeping the floor and cleaning the entire equipments. She is quite handy when it comes to cleaning. After she is done with the cleaning she takes out a floweriest design cloth and wraps her lunch and dinner bento elegantly, once that's over she moves to the rest room and removes her kappōgi and has it folded neatly after which she hangs it on the wall. Akemi is there having her dinner when Rin starts to leave the kitchen.

"Thanks for your help Akemi; you are my life saver today." Rin declares with a large smile on her face. Akemi always found Rin's smile were warming, it can melt anyone's heart.

"It's not a big deal at all Rin, we will be here to help you when you are in trouble." Akemi replies with a muffled voice as she has a mouth full of rice. Rin couldn't help but to laugh at Akemi's funny facial expressions. She waves at Akemi and says good bye. She proceeds to head out from the kitchen. As she reaches outside the kitchen, she hears Tsuyu san voice calling out her name.

"Rin wait a while!" Tsuyu san shouts as she comes running to Rin.

"Yes Tsuyu san, is there anything I forget to do?" Rin inquires nervously as she is afraid she might have missed something again.

"No nothing like that, it's just that I had brought you these herbs, my sister told me this was used to heal her son's fever all the time, so please give this to Aito. I hope he will get well soon." Tsuyu replies as she places a small bottle onto Rin hands.

"Thank you so much Tsuyu san" Rin thanks Tsuyu san and they both exchange hugs before Rin continues to head home. As she has passes through several trees in the forest, Rin stops and admires the beautiful sunset, holding the bento in her arms, she grins happily. The sunset is overwhelming, it feels so warm, it feels like her Lord is watching over her from somewhere around the trees like he used to do when she was still a child. Rin shuts her eyes while trying to picture Lord Sesshoumaru's face. Unknowingly she starts to hum her favorite song.

_In the mountain, in the breeze.._

_In the forest, in my dream.._

_Lord Sesshouamru where are you.._

_Jaken is serving under you too...  
_

The moment she completes singing the last lines, she hears a familiar strong manly voice calling out her name from behind.

"Rin!"

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**Chapter End Notes:**

Thank you to those who reviewed my chapter, it means so much for me to move another step further in enchancing my way of writing.

Upcoming...

Chapter 4 - Joyful yet in pain (story under progress)

Love,

Jenni


	4. Joyful yet in pain

"If I never met you, I wouldn't like you. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't love you. If I didn't love you, I wouldn't miss you. But I did, I do, and I will."

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The Lily of the Valley signifies _**" The Return of Happiness " **_

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and once again ...

**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of **_Rumiko Takahashi. _**

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*******Chapter Four – Joyful yet in pain...*******

"Rin!"

Rin hears a familiar strong manly voice call out her name; she hesitates for a moment, as she turns slowly to her back she captures sight of a tall white figure demon standing not far away from her. She instantly recognizes the man and smiles mildly at him. She walks closer to the demon who is wearing a simple white kimono with several leaves on it for design along with a black grey striped sword striped at his side. Rin will never forget this man's appearance, had he not shown up in the forest 4 years ago when she delivered Aito, they both would have probably reunited with her beloved parents in the other world. The young leopard demon returns a huge smile to Rin as she steps closer and pauses in front of him with a little bow of respect.

"Hello Master Ryuuki, it's been a while since our last meet, are you well?" Rin asks as she uses a finger to pull small strands of hair and tuck it behind her ear.

Ryuuki gazes at Rin face, her face intrigues him - her large hazelnut eyes are warm and gentle, her mouth touched with sadness, her voice sounds like an innocent child and a wise lady in the same discourse. _She is beautiful _he thinks to himself as he is so taken by her beauty that he did not respond to Rin's question, a few moments pass by in awkward silence.

"Master Ryuuki are you alright?" Rin asks with concern in her tone as she notices Ryuuki looking at her with an absent mind. Rin's voice snaps his attention back to reality as he notices how silly he was to let his attention get carried away by just looking at her face, _she is truly amazing._ Ryuuki allows himself to have that small thought before he replies Rin.

"Oh am doing great, the task was pretty trivial and so I can return earlier than the original schedule. It's been a month since our last meet, are you doing well? How is Aito doing? I hope you both are well too." Ryuuki replies as his eyes continue to stare at Rin without blinking.

"We both are well Master Ryuuki, although Aito has been sick for the past few days but he has recovered quite a lot this morning before I left for work, the weather has been too nasty for my son though, raining heavily every night with strong wind drafts, I think I need to get him a new comfortable quilt which will keep him warm through this nasty rainy season. I wish the weather will be a bit better tonight." Rin shifts her sights to the yellowish clear heavens as she replies. She has her reasons to hide Aito's real condition from him, as she did not wish Ryuuki to take this as an excuse to come to her house and visit her son. It's not that she doesn't like it but she thinks it is better there remains that gap between them.

"Aito was sick? I am glad to hear that he has recovered a lot, I shall visit him after he is fully recovered as right now he needs to rest properly." Ryuuki voices his concern over Aito's well being; he really loves this kid, a very intelligent kid.

"So I heard you singing while ago, are not you getting bored to sing the same song all the time? I am sure there are lots of new songs out there that will catch your interest though." Ryuuki continues as he is trying to get Rin's attention back from staring at the sky, he just wishes to admire her lovely face. Rin giggles at Ryuuki remarks as she turns and faces Ryuuki again. Her giggles fade and is replaced with a faint smile.

"I will live to sing only this song forever..." Rin now turns back to the other side and starts staring at the skies again allowing the light breeze to carry her thoughts somewhere in the heavens. _Lord Sesshoumaru, where are you right now? Are you doing well?_ _Are you still mad at me? No he probably would have forgotten me, who am I anyway to be remembered by the great dog demon. _Rin whispers as she tightens the hold between the bento and her chest, she feels better to have something press again her chest as her heart is aching. While she is too occupied with her own thoughts, she gets sensations of strong arms embracing her from behind, her body was stiff at first but is relaxed relatively, this is the same embrace she received in the forest 4 years ago when she had Aito held tightly in her arms. Rin shuts her eyes off as she tries to feel the embrace. _Awkward_ is the only thing she can feel. Something strange with the embrace, she does not feel comfortable. Perhaps this is not the embrace that she seeks, as she peels her eyes open she tries to escape from the hold, but is futile as the hold tightens around her as she feels a chin rest on top of her forehead.

Rin distressed expression torments Ryuuki's heart. He has neither seen her relaxing nor even seen her laugh whole heartedly since the day he rescued her in the forest. He will never forget what had happened that night 4 years ago, when he found Rin lying underneath a large tree looking helpless with a child in her arms as she grabbed Ryuuki's hands and kept addressing him as Lord Sesshoumaru, she desperately requested him take her to Tsuyu's house to warm her vulnerable son.

While he never wants to question Rin about the identity of this Lord Sesshoumaru, Rin seemed to have a strange behavior of singing a song related to this person. Ryuuki believed that this Lord Sesshoumaru could be the only closest person in her life. Rin never shares her past life with anyone but she seemed to look depressed all the time, she is only caught smiling brightly when she has Aito in her arms but most of the other times she will isolate herself and singing this strange song. But Ryuuki managed to read everything imprinted in those expressive hazels eyes, he saw her pain, her wounded heart and her tears, tears that she would perhaps only allow to flow within her disconsolate heart. Ryuuki is determined to express his feelings to Rin hoping that he is able to break this wall around her, which will aid both of their hearts growing in pain to heal.

"Rin don't stop looking for love, don't let your past destroy what comes tomorrow, there is so much more to gain if you could forget your past, we can start to dream about tomorrow. After knowing you, I have found an affection that I have never felt before and if I could choose, I would choose the world to revolve around you..." Ryuuki confess and looks at a startled Rin, she tries to ease herself off softly from his hold, looking up at him when he gently cups her cheek, and she stares at his eyes. They are filled with love, faith and care, a gaze that promises a never ending protection.

"Rin I will lift your sorrows and light your way into darkness, you will never be alone as I will hold your hands and embrace you forever, till death do us apart...please give me a chance to protect you and love you. I will treat Aito as my own son. Will you become my life mate? You don't have to answer me now. I will wait for you..." Ryuuki's forwardness makes Rin freeze in bewilderment; she is lost in his confession. Ryuuki has again tightened his hold as he looks at Rin's startled face, even though she did break his embrace she clearly appears to be uncomfortable, but Ryuuki choose to ignore it, sensing Rin is puzzled with her own thoughts, Ryuuki leans forward as he is tries to catch her lips with his own, when their lips almost touch Rin quickly pushes Ryuuki away as hard as she can with her elbow and takes back a few steps from him. She looks away from Ryuuki as she tries to regain her thoughts back to reality. _What am I doing?_ Rin curses herself for letting her emotions to take control over her mind. She shakes her head heavily and turns to face Ryuuki with her serious expression.

"I have taken too much time, I need to return now or Aito will be worried about me. See you later Master Ryuuki. Bye!" Rin speaks as fast as she can. As she has turns and prepares to leave in haste, Ryuuki takes Rin into his arms holding her close to him desperately. She is unable to move away from him as he holds her close. The moment is like an eternity.

"Rin please don't avoid it, no matter how strong you are, you need a man to lead your life, Aito needs a father to guide his life, I can be your good mate as well as a good father. Please give me a chance Rin." Ryuuki knows that if he holds Rin long enough she will eventually break down and accept him.

"How long have you known me? You do not know me long enough to feel what I feel now, I will not allow my weakness to blur my decision, besides I don't wish to seek temporary comfort just because I have a tough life now and so please... let me go." Rin is struggling to flee from Ryuuki's hold as she tries to make her points clear to Ryuuki.

"Rin don't lie to yourself, you can feel isn't it? You were responding to my embrace earlier. You relaxed to my hold, you felt my love and affection, please Rin... open your heart for me, let me mend your fragile heart, I ensure your life will be filled with only joy and laughter, no more tears or fearful life, I swear!" Ryuuki stops shaking Rin instead he holds her still and waits her response eagerly. Rin does not look directly at Ryuuki instead she has her face looking to the side. All she wishes now is to go home and hug Aito.

"I am sorry Master Ryuuki, the embrace was uncomfortable, and it was odd and awkward perhaps ..." Rin pauses for a moment as Ryuuki waits impatiently with her next word.

"...perhaps it was not the embrace that I was seeking, I am so sorry." Ryuuki loosens his hold as he hears her complete her sentence. It hurts him badly. Rin takes this opportunity to flee.

"Take care Master Ryuuki." Rin makes a quick bow as she quickly runs away from Ryuuki. As Ryuuki watches Rin disappear from his sights, he is still confused with Rin's earlier remarks. _Perhaps it was not the embrace she is seeking for? I don't know her long enough? I probably know her more than this bastard who is Aito's so called father! _Ryuuki thinks to himself as he clenches his fist tightly. He tries to calm down as he did not want to allow Rin's rejection to bring him down; instead he is more determined to seek out Aito's father. _Bastard you better not show up in front of me or I swear with my name I will teach you a lesson for leaving such an innocent girl behind to face such a cruel life! _Ryuuki whispers to himself as he takes a deep breath to calm himself down.

On the other side near the Geisha House Sesshoumaru's patience has started to run out as Rin's scent slowly fades away replaced by the scent of humans who have started showing up around the Geisha House. The sights in front of him disgusts his eyes as he spots several women flirting with men who later walk into the Geisha House with the men who's expressions are full of lustful thoughts. Sesshoumaru has had enough with this scene as he rises from the grass and decides to move around the Geisha House in the hopes of capturing more of Rin scent. As he heads to the direction of the Geisha House and walks past the main entrance of the house, one of the geishas appears at the entrance and catches sight of Sesshoumaru. She instantly likes his appearance, as she slightly pulls her kimono apart which has her shoulder revealed. She has rushes herself to the side of the demon Lord.

"Hey there handsome demon, don't you wish to stop by and have some fun perhaps... with me? "The geisha moves closer to Sesshoumaru as she reaches out with her hands to touch the fluffy fur that he has on his right shoulder.

"This thing is kind of soft isn't it? I couldn't imagine how tickling it will be when it caresses my naked body." The girl continues as she beams Sesshoumaru a lustful smirk. Sesshoumaru decides he has had enough of this, he does not like the way the girl dressed or acts, he hates the way she touches him too.

"Move or I will kill you bitch" Sesshoumaru warns the girl as his infuriated eyes gives the girl a piercing look. The geisha does not seem to heed the demon Lord's warning instead she stokes her hand around Sesshoumaru's shoulder brushing his magenta strip on his face. This is enough to boil the demon Lord's blood in his veins. He grabs the lady hands and pushes the girl away without mercy as he uses his poison claws to scratch the girl's shoulder which is enough to wound her badly bleeding non-stop.

"Know your status bitch I had warned you earlier." Sesshoumaru roars as he moves on to the back of the Geisha house for further inspection leaving the wounded girl behind with her eyes wide open and her jaw dropped in surprise.

As Sesshoumaru reaches the back of the Geisha House a small entrance is visible with the door left open, it looks like the entrance is leading to a kitchen. Rin's scent is caught lingering strongly in the vicinity, he observes the kitchen attentively as he continues to follow the direction of the scent, and it leads him to the small path further in front of the kitchen. Sesshoumaru takes the path and leaves the Geisha House. As long as Rin scent is present he knows that he is on the right track.

Rin stops running, she walks slowly upto one of the large oak trees and lean on it, she is panting heavily trying to catch her breath. _What happened just now? How could I let myself get carried away? Such intimacies are only to be shared between those who love each other. _Rin curses herself badly, whenever she is trying to avoid Ryuuki he seems to be able to have control over her. _I am emotionally weak, he has caught my weakness._ Rin whispered. Ryuuki is a great man, that is not in doubt but Rin can never see him as more than a friend, unfortunately Ryuuki can never treat her like a friend. After he had rescued Rin and Aito in the forest, he seems to find numerous opportunities to confess to her but each time she will manage to escape but today she was a bit emotional and it explains as to why she seemed to have let her guard down. Rin is feeling tired, she moves to the side of the oak tree and settles herself on the grass with her bento placed neatly beside her. A light breeze blows, she shuts her eyes off for a moment and tries to relax her mind as her long dark raven hair is fluttering in the wind. Rin sighs and draws her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them with her face buried within her knees.

"Rin!"

Rin snaps her head up instantly when she hears her name being called out by a strong, firm and calm voice. She freezes puzzled.

"Rin!"

Rin's eyes widen and her jaw drops when she hears her name being call out for the second time and this time she hears the voice clearly, the voice that she misses so dearly and wishes to hear so badly is now echoing in her ears. _It can't be him! _Rin gently whispers to herself as she shakes her head and gently bites the inside of her cheek. _Ouch! It pains!_ It is not a dream, she did not feel asleep and she is not dreaming, everything she hears is real. Rin is trying to gather all of her strength; she closes her eyes off tightly for a second and then parts them open, slowly, very slowly and she turns her face to her back. The sight that she captures out of her peripheral vision almost makes her heart instantly stop beating as she has captured the full view of the person who is standing behind her. Rin is astounded and she breaks down...

It is such a joyful moment to be able to see him again in her life... yet the pain in her heart has quickly overridden the joy...

_He has found me_...

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**Chapter End Notes:**

Thank you for all the valuable reviews i promise to get the chapter 5 sort out as soon as i can. No title decide yet for the up coming chapter. I will return to the lab on 15th of August... arghhhh hopefully i have time in between to continue writing (^_^)

Cheer and enjoy the chapter 4...

Love,

Jenni


	5. The Moonlight River

**Story notes:**

**Dear stargate sam** : Hey there since you do not have an account here, I was unable to send you any message. ^^ I want to thank you for reading and review my story, also I am sorry that I have taken too long to update my stories, but I have make this chapter a bit longer to compensate the long wait. Hope you enjoy reading it.

**Dear NiNiChan : **Thanks for your message, and here is the chapter 5 (^_^)

_A little bla bla from me:_

Wooohooo am done with chapter 5 now...

Ok I know nothing funny here :-( I am sorry for terribly long delay in updating. The research work has taken almost all of my time. Beside I have to put the blame on my beta reader this time. Since he was running away with my chapter and LOST it! At the same time I don't have the original copy with me... suck huh? But oh wait! My personal CSI agent ...ahem... told me **"Delete doesn't mean it's completely gone."** So yes I found it! Thanks Taraah! (^_^)

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**Chapter notes:**

**"Some say, you don't know what you have until you lose it. But the fact is you always know what you have, you just never thought you would lose it"**

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The Lily of the Valley signifies _**"The Return of Happiness"**_

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and once again ...

**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of **_Rumiko Takahashi._**

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**Chapter 5 – The Moonlight River**

Sesshoumaru the lord of the western lands stands before Rin. He is wearing his usual attire; white haori with red honey comb design, white hakama, black boots, and black amor. The Tenseiga and Bakusaiga are strapped faithfully at his side with a yellow and indigo obi.

"Lord Sesshoumaru..." Rin calls out to her lord with a large lump in her throat. She is barely able to look at her lord clearly as tears blur out her vision. _He has not changed since the last time we saw each other, despite some good 4 years being separated, he still looks as good as I first saw him in the forest when I was only 7years old. I have grown up a lot since and yet he is still the same attractive demon lord. _Rin speaks in her mind.

Sesshoumaru is so overwhelmed by Rin's voice. That sweet voice has been missing for so long and has almost become part of his memory. He can't stop staring at her, his warm golden eyes stare and inspect his precious companion who had went missing without a hint about a her whereabouts. He is quite relieved that she has not lost her signature beauty, that long dark raven hair cascade down till her waistline and those large beautiful warm hazelnut eyes are still the way they were the last time he saw her, BUT the rest of her appearance really torments the demon lord. Sesshoumaru's heart is disconsolate as he always hates to see Rin weep, but it is not her weeping that anguishes his heart, her pale face, her weak figure and her skinny form are the things that torment his heart. She is so skinny, her cheek bones are visible and her eyes are sunken, he does not need to wrap around her waist to feel her small body nor does he need to find out what kind of life she has went through, because it obvious from observing this frail body that she has suffered probably a thousand times greater than what he could have imagined.

Sesshoumaru clenches his fists tightly, curses himself for causing Rin to go through such a relentless life by failing to locate her much earlier. She has never looked this thin under his care, even when she was sick and not been eating properly for weeks she still looked much healthier than now. Looking at her frail form, by which she could be easily blown away by a strong breeze, all of his heart's desires to ask questions to seek out her reasons for disappearing are gone as it's not worth anymore than the fact that she is safe now.

"Rin, are you all well?" Sesshoumaru asks with a composed tone as his warm golden gaze does not leave the girl. _She is so fragile.  
_

A startled Rin looks at her lord with her eyes wide open as guilt fills her heart. _Are you all well? _It is a simple question but it is powerful enough weaken her heart, having been with her lord for long, she knows that her well being is the main priority above all for her lord as long as she was safe, no matter what kind of mistakes she has done the demon lord will never bother to ask further. _Lord Sesshoumaru always the one and the only one who truly cares for me, he did it in the past, the present and I am sure in the future too._ Rin whispers painfully. She has hopes that at least her lord will be slightly mad at her, but his reaction was way too hard to accept, she thinks that she does not deserve her lord's kind heart, not with what she has done. Rin desperately tries to rub her tears away; she wants to at least respond with a smile since a little while ago she was unable to speak with the large lump in her throat. Sesshoumaru watches the girl fighting her own emotions, unable to watch further he decides to offer the poor girl something he thinks she might need at this moment, security and safety.

"Rin." Sesshoumaru's voice softens as he does something that Rin cannot believe with her own eyes; he lifts his arms and extends it out in a welcome as he continues "Come here."

That's it, Rin is no longer able to control her tears anymore; she dashes towards her lord, throws her arms around his neck and buries her face in his fluffy as the demon lord embraces her firmly. Under her lord's warm embrace, Rin weeps out to her heart's desire as Sesshoumaru buries his nose on top of her head inhaling her sweet scent with his eyes shut in relief; he tightens his hold around her and whispers. _It's alright now I am here.  
_

A pair of wide startled eyes is watching the duo with a mind drowned in question marks. Hiding behind the bushes not far away from the place where Sesshoumaru and Rin are standing, Akemi watches on curiously, she doesn't know what Rin is doing there with a man _I mean hugging a man at this time? Wasn't she in a hurry to reach home for Aito?_ Determined to take a closer inspection of that man, Akemi moves a few inches further in front of the bushes with very careful steps as she doesn't want to be noticed. After shifting in couple of angles uncomfortably, she manages to catch the man's face. _He is a Demon! _Akemi exclaims in her thoughts as she covers her mouth with her right hand. _Who could this silver hair demon with magenta strips on his face be?_ She continues questioning herself as she remembers clearly what Tsuyu had told, Rin did not have any close friends in this village nor did she even mention about anyone in her life, except the odd Lord's name that Rin use to hum in her song, but she explained no further about it too. When both Tsuyu and Akemi had assumed the Lord was the father of Aito, Rin has always denied it firmly and ensured them that she can never be that close with her lord, he is only her savior but never a lover. Since Akemi trusts no demon except for Ryuuki since he was raised up by Tsuyu, she starts to worry about Rin's safety now, sweat drips off her skin as she is thinking about the dangers Rin be in now. _Is the demon trying to witch Rin! Oh god, I can't let this happen, I need to figure out some way, I must make a move before anything bad happens.  
_

Jaken on the other side has completely lost track of his lord, he has walked too far off from the Geisha house and decides to turn back and backtrack his path in the hope of seeing his lord again. When he is half way to reaching the Geisha house, he captures the sight of his lord's figure in the nearby forest.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" The little toad bursts out in tears out of happiness like as if a boy found its long lost father. He shouts and runs as quickly as he can to reach his lord, at the same time Akemi also dashes out from the hidden bushes with a bamboo stick in her hand and speeds towards the direction of Sesshoumaru and Rin.

" Rin I will save you!" Akemi yells.

The little toad's eyes pop wide open as he sees something dash out but is unable to control his speed. Jakens shouts out loud "HUMAN!" but it is too late he collides with Akemi's left foot while her right has steps on the little kappa, Akemi swears she heard someone shout but cant see anything coming. She does not slow her steps and loses her balance after getting caught with the green toad's staff and falls on the grass. The bamboo stick that she is holding flips up into the sky and lands on the little toad's head, instantly causing a big round red bruise to pop up proudly. While Akemi is trying to check the surroundings as to what has caused her to fall, Jaken has already started cursing like hell.

"Human are you blind or deaf? I was running from afar and shouting, don't you even hear something or see something?" the little toad continues cursing Akemi while she rubs the pain in her arms and tries to stand up.

"When you know you are this small and that probably no one will ever see or hear you, please try to utilize your senses to avoid unnecessary clashes." Akemi slams the green toad as she is tries to locate where Rin is.

Rin's head snaps up hearing her name being called out while Sesshoumaru turns his head to the side and spots the collision between a human girl and his useless companion. Sesshoumaru reluctantly releases his hold as Rin takes a step backward to completely release herself from her lord arms. She then turns to the side and spots Akemi on the grass. _Akemi? Master Jaken? _Rin whispers curiously as she runs slightly to approach the duo.

"Akemi what are you doing here?" Rin ask curiously as she helps Akemi to stand up.

"Rin! Is that really you? Stupid girl why have you been missing for this long?" Jaken questions as he tries to move closer to Rin but he is interrupted by Akemi.

"Rin! Be careful these demons they are trying to bewitch you." Akemi grabs Rin's left arm and pushes her behind her back. She then stretches out her arms wide apart in a protective posture.

"Demon I wont let you harm her, move now or I shall call the villagers to attack you." Akemi warn Sesshoumaru.

"Human! Shut up, there is no way milord will hurt Rin, move or disaster will come your way." Jaken interrupts as he moves in front of Akemi who is now giving a stern look at the little toad. Akemi returns her gaze on the demon lord, Sesshoumaru is now only a few inches in front of him with his eyes turned red and he growls a little. Akemi's knees weaken as she trembles. Rin rushes in front of Sesshoumaru as she tries to sort out the misunderstanding.

"Akemi please listen to me, he is not a bad person, Lord Sesshoumaru is my savior, I have known him since I was a kid, and he won't and will never harm me. I trust no one above him." Rin explains with a big smile but Akemi frowns a little. She is stunned by Rin's reply. _She trusts no one above him? _She thinks worriedly.

"Rin what are you talking about? How long have you known him for you to have placed such a strong trust on him? He is a demon, and he looks dangerous, we both need to get out of here, and inform Tsuyu san about this, come." Akemi grabs Rin's arm and pulls her away but Sesshoumaru instantly grabs onto Rin's free arm pulling her towards his side and sends a loud growl at Akemi.

"My lord please let me talk to her, she is one of my friends. Please don't be mad with what she has said, she doesn't mean it, she is just worried about me, I shall talk to her now, be right back soon." Rin pulls Akemi to the near bushes as she tries to explain the whole situation. It has been really a bad day for Rin, despite worrying about Aito, she has to deal with Ryuuki and now Akemi, god knows what will come next. _Oh great, I have totally forgotten about Aito, crap, now I need to sort this fast, as night is approaching swiftly, Aito will start to get hungry and worried about me. _

"Akemi look, I know I owe you an explanation, today isn't a good day for me, I have plenty of things I need to sort now, and can you go home first and promise to tell no one about Lord Sesshoumaru? Please Akemi I promise I will tell you everything tomorrow, please..." Rin pleads as Akemi narrows her eyes little annoyed, but she chooses to not press the matter further since she spots that Sesshoumaru is continuing to pierce her with his scary golden eyes.

"You owe me the whole story, remember if you do not show up tomorrow I will get Tsuyu san and gather all the villagers to attack the demon you got it Rin?" Akemi warns in a slightly playful tone as she turns quickly and leaves before Rin can manage to continue. Watching Akemi's shadow disappear, Rin feels bad for not being able to clear out the misunderstanding. Akemi is an orphan girl who is staying at Tsuyu's house after her parents were killed by the bandits a few years ago and since she is only a year older than Rin and they share the same fates, they both have become close friends quickly. Although Rin is quite a quiet type of person, having a talkative girl like Akemi around does help cheer her up a little. _My friend, I promise to tell you everything about Lord Sesshoumaru, please rest well._ Rin whispers to herself as she turns and faces her lord, there is another thing that needs to be settled. She needs to return to her sick son but is reluctant to leave her lord, so the best solution she can think off is to bring her lord along. _How am I going to explain about Aito?_ Rin knows Sesshoumaru will be mad but she couldn't care anymore at this moment, now that her lord has found her and things will have to come to an end.

Rin makes her way to the nearby tree she sat by earlier as she picks up her bento and back to her lord who was waiting patiently while the little toad has his brow raised to show his annoyance but dares not to open his mouth.

"My lord, may you come along with me? I can't stay any longer here as my ..." Rin pauses as she thinks off the consequences of her words; it is wise to not reveal anything now as she continues pleading. "I mean Aito is waiting and he might be hungry now, please my lord we need to hurry please." Seshoumaru frowns as his ears pick up an unfamiliar man's name. _Aito? So Rin is living with a man now? Who is he? Why will Rin have to care for his meal? She should be fed not feeding some useless man out there!_ Sesshoumaru clenches his fist lightly, until he meets with that human he needs to stay calm.

"Let's be off." Sesshoumaru answers coolly as he turns and walk past Rin towards the path that Akemi headed out to a while ago. _Thank you my lord. _Rin whispers with a smile as she too follows the back of her lord with her bento crutched on her chest leaving a curious green kappa watching with his mouth open and eyes widen. He too follows the duo a moment later. Rin increases her pace as she is now leading the group with her mind fully focused on her son, Sesshoumaru follows in a steady pace as his mind busy thinking about the identity of the man while poor Jaken slowly tries his level best to keep up with the duo.

10 minutes pass and the group reaches a small wooden hut nearby a river. Rin first reaches to the door and pushes it open as she turns back and looks at Sesshoumaru.

"My lord please come in." Rin stretches out her left arm aside in a welcome mode as she smiles shyly and continues. "I am sorry with the limited space I hope you don't mind my lord."

Sesshoumaru nods lightly as he steps into the hut, it does not take him long to scan around as it is a simple hut. In middle of the house there is a simple table with 4 chairs, on the left hand side he spots an old wooden wardrobe, and on the right hand side there is a table which has a few kitchen utensils on it like pots, plates, spoons and chopsticks. There is a bed located at the far end in front of them. Sesshoumaru's eyes instantly aim at the bed, he spots a figure and apparently it looks like that person is sound asleep. _What a useless brat, sleeping at this time? Doesn't he even need to worry about Rin for her late return?_ Sesshoumaru thinks to himself furiously as he moves over to the table and picks a seat which is facing the bed while the little toad takes the seat next to him. Rin leaves the door open for a better environment as she places her bento on the table and speeds to the bed to check on her son while Sesshoumaru looks on attentively, he is trying to control his anger. A concerned Rin sits next to her son and places her left hand on top of Aito's forehead to check the temperature.

"Thank god the fever has reduced." Rin smiles happily in relief and lightly pats on Aito's shoulder to wake him up. Aito feels a light touch on his forehead and shoulder as he reluctantly part his eyes open slowly, with a few blinks his mother's frame is now clearly visible.

"Mo-mother you have re-returned, welcome home." Aito speaks weakly as he manages to smile lightly to welcome his mother.

"Yes my son, you must have been really hungry, mother has made a special dinner for you, fish porridge with soft boiled eggs and pickle. It is a light food and it will digest easily." Rin describes as she puts her hands on the side of Aito's neck to further check on his body temperature, she then bends a little and places a light kiss on his forehead. Sesshoumaru watching annoyingly from the table as the green toad observes his lord's expressions confused.

"Mother why porridge? It won't be filling for you. Aito can skip the rice and have only the eggs." Aito asks worriedly as his orange eyes glass over with unshed tears. Since both Rin and Aito used to share the same meal, Aito knows that this limited amount of porridge will not be enough for his mother who has been working hard since morning.

"Awww my dear Aito, do not worry about it, didn't I just say I have a special dinner for you? That means I have my own meal today. Now come with me, we have guests tonight." Rin assures her son she will get her own meal but was hiding the truth about the skipped lunch. It will be wise not to let her son know since he will be sad. Rin slides her left arm behind the back of Aito and helps him to sit up. He is still weak and will need more good food for him to have a speedy recovery. Picking up a scarf beside the bed she wraps it securely around Aito's head.

"Guests? Who are they mother?" Aito tries to glance over by the right side of Rin's shoulder but is stopped by her mother as Rin grabs his shoulder and his attention back on her.

"He is mother's best friend, his name is Lord Sesshoumaru and you need to address him with the title. He is a dog demon but not a bad one as he has saved mother's life plenty of times and so you must respect him as much as mother does, do you understand Aito? He has a companion named Master Jaken, a small demon with a funny character and mother is sure you will like him." Rin explains as Aito listens carefully. Rin then raises form the bed as she takes Aito by his hand helping him to get down from the bed and the two of them walk hand in hand towards the dining table.

Sesshoumaru raises his burrow surprised as the kid approaches the dining table while Jaken's eyes are wide open with his mouth gaping looking on curiously at the kid who is now sitting on the right hand side of Sesshoumaru with Rin settled down opposite of her lord. Both eyes are scanning that poor kid and it is making Aito feel so uncomfortable, he does not dare to raise his head to look at them instead he stares at his lap and trembles. Rin notices the awkwardness among them as she notices the change of expressions on both her lord and the little toad's face. She decides to clear the confusion.

"My lord, Master Jaken, this is my son Aito." Rin tries to be stay calm while she introduces Aito because she knows there will be plenty of questions being asked upon his introduction and she is not sure whether she is ready to answer them but all she can do now is to remain calm. Stretching her right arm she touches her son's shoulder. Rin tries to get her son's attention.

"Aito don't be rude, raise your head and say hello to them." Rin speak softly to her trembling son as Aito raises his head slowly to face the guests. He first captures the figure of a small green demon, and since Jaken is short and sitting on a chair, Aito can only manage to see his face. He thinks this creature is cute, with his sharp mouth which looks like a bird's mouth and his big round yellow eyes, seeing this Aito can't help but to erupt in laughter.

"You are such a small creature I wonder how small your brain and your heart is." Aito comments as he can't help himself but laugh.

"How dare you child! Calling me small? Who do you think you are kid?" The little toad instantly slams Aito upon hearing those insulting words.

"Aito how can you say such a thing, what did I tell you just now? Now apologize to Master Jaken." Rin warns her son as she covers her mouth with her hand to hide her grin, she can't help but laugh at her son's words but is trying not to hurt the little kappa's heart.

"Sorry Master Jaken, my name is Aito nice to see you." Aito re-introduces himself as he presents a toothy grin towards the green toad, he is still trying to control his laugh despite his mother's warning. This does not seem to please Jaken as his little heart seems to be hurt by Aito's comment; he sends a stern look at Aito and starts his usual mumbling.

"Whats with that evil laugh now? Rin you too! You both have insulted m..."

"Jaken! Be silent!" Sesshoumaru stops the little toad from furthering his annoying talk as he continues stare at the kid.

"Ah yes Mi lord" Jaken answers reluctantly as he sends an unsatisfied look at Aito. Aito's head snap to the left when he hears the strong firm manly voice. He raises his head a bit and captures the frame of a tall white demon with a fierce face. He is so overwhelmed looking at the demon lord with his wide open eyes. _Wow he is so tall; he has a broad shoulder and pale skin. He has a unique face with magenta strips on his cheek and... _Aito pauses the moment he spots Sesshoumaru forehead.

"Mother he has a blue crescent moon on his forehead." Aito turns to his mother and asks Rin immediately as he spots the crescent moon on Sesshoumaru's forehead.

"My dear don't be rude you still haven't greeted the lord yet." Rin answers worriedly as she somehow knows what her son will ask next.

"But Aito ..." Rin immediately covers her son's mouth to prevent him to speak further as she turns and smiles to her lord. Sesshoumaru remains silent.

"I am sorry my lord, Aito is just a bit curious since we don't get much guests in our house. I hope you don't mind his curiosity." Rin explains as she releases her hand from Aito's mouth and continues. "Aito greet the lord now, you understand what I mean?" Aito watches her mother's serious reaction curiously but does not dare to speak further.

"Lord Sesshoumaru nice to meet you too." Aito greets as he slightly bows his head down in respect. Rin feels relieved and lets out a small sigh. Sesshoumaru remains unspoken.

"Oh yes I forget to serve tea I shall go get it now, hang on my lord." Rin rises from her seat as she turns to the nearby table to get a pot.

"Rin that is not necessary." Sesshoumaru interrupts. Rin pauses, of course she knows her lord never needed food or drinks but as a guest she thinks it is nice to show some courtesy. She nods and picks up 2 chopsticks from the nearby table and moves back to the dining table and unwraps the bento. Once she gives one to Aito she settles back down and places another in front of her. Then they both start having their their meals while Sesshoumaru continues watching silently. Rin feels extremely awkward while the demon lord's mind was unsettled as he keeps shifting his gaze between Rin and Aito. Observing attentively at the kid, Sesshoumaru tries to recognize the kid's scent. _This kid might have a simple human's appearance, but his scent betrays his appearance. He has an orange eye which no ordinary human will has; he has white hair which explains it will definitely not inherit from a human. This means the father of this kid has to be a demon. And that means Rin's husband is... _

"My lord do you want to have some of this soft boil eggs? It is very tasty." Aito's sudden interruption pulls the demon lord out from drowning in his own thoughts. His are eyes fixed on Aito, piercing through his gaze like as if he is searching some sort of an answer through the gazing. His warm orange eyes show no fear with his simple innocent smile which reminds him a lot of Rin. Back in the days when the demon lord was taking rest in the forests after being baldy wounded, Rin did the same, handing him some human food, she showed no sign of fear and her smile was sweetly innocent. _Aito inherits the most precious attribute from Rin, the innocence._

"No thanks." Sesshoumaru's simple emotionless answer has made Aito in doubt as he watches the taiyoukai curiously.

"I don't eat human food." Sesshouamru's sudden reply has stunned Aito, he feels like the demon lord is reading him by just looking at his eyes. _He is so amazing!_ Aito thinks to himself. It is at this time that a brilliant idea has struck Aito's mind.

"Oh I know what you will like, mother I will be right back quick." Aito jumps from his chair, heads to the main door and disappears leaving the startled taiyoukai, with the green toad and Rin watching on curiously. Rin is completely lost with her son's behavior, she has never seen Aito react in such a way, perhaps Sesshoumaru's gaze has made her poor son feel uncomfortable and he is merely trying to catch some fresh air? _No that is impossible_ Rin thinks to herself, she wishes Aito does not catch a cold outside since night has fallen. The taiyoukai sees the girl's face turn weary but he remains silent.

"What does the kid plan to do?" Jaken voices his curiosity but he gets no reply as worry keep haunting Rin while Sesshoumaru is still watching her closely. 15 minutes have passed and Rin's patience has started to wear off, she rises from her seat and is about to move but just then Aito dashes in with a banana leaf in his hand with something on the top. He instantly moves to the side of the demon lord and stretches out his limbs to show his new found food offering.

"I think you will eat this right?" Aito has a few lizards nicely arranged on top of a banana leaf and proudly presents it to Sesshoumaru. He is stunned by the boy's reaction, Aito he has several dirt marks on his cheek and hands, but he doesn't seem to care as he seems to be satisfied with what he has done. The taiyoukai does not know how to respond as the kid is so much like Rin when she was a kid, despite him rejecting her human food Rin later came back with some other food exactly like what Aito has done now. _He is such an adorable kid._ Sesshoumaru whispers as he raises his claw finger to rub away the dirt on Aito's cheeks and his hands, he then rests his right palm on top of Aito's head with his left hand on his shoulder.

"Leave it on the table now, you should clean your hands and continue your meal, your mother is worried about you." Sesshoumaru commands and surprisingly Aito nods happily. He leaves the banana leaf on the table and rushes out to wash his hand and returns to continue his dinner. Rin can't help but lightly smile at her son's action, she never imagined that Aito does exactly the same things like she did when she was a kid and it surprises her even more to know the fact that Aito does not have a bit of fear of the demon lord. When Rin stole a glance at the startled Sesshoumaru the moment when Aito handed the banana leaf to him, she couldn't help but to cover her mouth and laugh at it, the taiyoukai too was stunned by her son's reaction. All of a sudden the awkwardness seems to have vanished and Rin is able to continue her dinner with peace of mind. Sessoumaru notices Rin delightful smile during the entire dinner, while he is not sure of the reason that causes the happiness he just loves to see the girl's smile return. Jaken on the other hand is super silent keenly observing both his lord and Rin, it is too cruel to spoil this moment and he decides to stay silent. _Sitting together like this somehow it feels like a family._ The little toad thinks to himself.

After dinner Sesshoumaru chooses to stay outside while Rin and Aito are cleaning the bento and the dining table. Once all the cleaning is done Rin decides to send Aito to sleep as she needs to have a few words with her lord. Settling Aito on the bed Rin once again checks on her son's body temperature to ensure that his fever has completely gone. Pulling the blanket and covering her son's body Rin places a kiss on Aito's temple.

"Sweet dreams my dear." Rin whispers into Aito's ear as she is ready to leave but Aito caught her arm.

"Yes my dear Aito, don't you feel sleepy?" Rin asks with a smile as she massages her son forehead.

"Mother will Lord Sesshoumaru still be here tomorrow?" Aito asks in a sleepy tone.

"I am not sure my dear, why do you ask?" Rin asks curiously.

"I like him mother, he is beautiful, even though he hardly speaks but he always watching you mother. He must really like you." Rin is startled by Aito comments.

"He watches me all the time? And you noticed it?" Rin slightly blushes thinking about her lord observing her.

"Yes mother, he looks at you without blinking and Aito love the way he look at you." Aito grins playfully at her mother and Rin senses her son's teasing as she pinches his nose lightly and kisses it later.

"Lord Sesshoumaru is my savior; I could never repay what he has done to me. Son you will trust no one above him you understand? He will never hurt mother." Aito nodded as Rin smiles before continuing. "But you must remember, do not take off the scarf from your head even to Lord Sesshoumaru or speak anything about Inuyasha and Kagome, you understand?"

"Yes mother Aito will remember that."

"Good boy now it's time to sleep, sweet dreams my dear." Rin watches her son shut his eyes as sleep quickly overcomes him. Once the blanket covers neatly she rises from the bed and heads outside.

A disturbed Sesshoumaru is staring blankly above the starless skies as the moonlight shines beautifully across the path in front of the small hut. The reflection of the moonlight on the nearby river somehow catches the demon lord's attention. _It is such beautiful scenery._ The thought crosses Sesshoumaru's mind and he is instantly hit with reality, questioning himself when he had started to admire the environment, like the demon lord ever cared of what happened around him for over 400 years. It is true that he has neither taken note of seasons nor does he even care to waste his precious time to look for sunshine or moonlight. So why does the taiyoukai seem to care for all this now? _Rin was to be blamed._ While it is not a gentleman's way to put the blame on an innocent girl, the demon lord admits the existent of the girl is indirectly changing him. Keeping the human girl with him was first considered as a test, but later it is called a responsibility and towards the end it assumed as unavoidable. In the end, the blue crescent moon dog demon realizes that he has been creating excuses, for he just cannot let the girl part away from him. He has to get used to her existence, the powerful taiyukai himself could not answer how but for sure the human girl named Rin has become the most precious things in his life. Watching her weeping is equal to cutting his own flesh and seeing her smiling is equal to an achievement he has gained, it feels like that a part of her has grown in him and even though they have been separated for 4 years it just seems to be apart by distance but never in heart.

Sesshoumaru eyes are still fixed on the moonlight river; it is this scenery that reminds him of his castle, the western fortress that he once considered as his home _with Rin._ He has escaped his duties in search of this precious girl who had turned the fortress into his home and he wishes dearly that Rin will return with him, but it looks like she has no need of such a home as she has her own now.

"Lord Sesshoumaru I am sorry it took up so much of your time, I hope you are not really in a hurry." Rin's sudden interjection ends Sesshoumaru's thoughts as she moves to the side of the demon lord and stares around the river. She smiles amusingly as her eyes locked around the moonlight river.

"Wow look at this my lord, the moonlight reflecting on the river, such a rare scenery I guess it is Lord Sesshoumaru that is inviting such a beautiful scene." Her smile inches towards a grin as she looks up at the moon.

"Oh how will a monster like me invite such a beautiful environment?" Sesshoumaru questions seriously, his gaze does not leave the moonlight reflection. Rin smile instantly fades with her lord's word's which is full of sadness. Guilt has rotten away her happiness.

"You are not a monster; you are the most kind hearted demon that I have ever met in my life." Sesshoumaru turns to face Rin who smiles innocently at him with her eyes shut.

"People tend to love the full moon but I personally much in love with the crescent moon because it always reminds me of you my lord. Look how powerful the crescent moon is to be able to shine through the river and make such a wonderful reflection, it is Lord Sesshoumaru's stare that makes the crescent moon shine strongly, that is why you are inviting such a beautiful scenery with your presence." Rin continues on with a rather bitter sweet smile. This is not a pleasant sight for the demon lord but he does not respond.

"My lord can you walk with me to the moonlight river? It will look much prettier if we go closer." Rin asks but immediately regrets since she thinks she is hardly in the position to ask anything form her lord, she then turns her back to Sesshoumaru and stares at her own sandal. Sesshoumaru has never turned down Rin's request.

"Let's go Rin." Sesshoumaru starts to walk away without waiting her to turn. Rin turns quickly and follows closely behind the taiyoukai happily while Jaken who has just appeared from the hut watches the duo walk away silently. Rin's heart fills with joy and gratitude as she never thought she would have a chance again to walk side by side with her lord under the moonlight, for some reason she just wishes that this moment will last forever. When they reach the river, Rin sits on the ground and Sesshoumaru join beside her. Under the moonlight they have returned to each other's side once again. Allowing the light breeze to take their scent and mix in the air, Seshoumaru really enjoys having Rin's scent around but as much as he is reluctant to spoil such a wonderful moment, the demon lord knows that there are things that need to be sorted.

"Rin..." Sesshoumaru's voice sounds disappointed.

"Yes my lord?" Rin turns and faces her lord. There is a long silence before Sesshoumaru continues without looking at her.

"Who is Aito father?"

* * *

**Chapter end notes:**

So a bit longer for this chapter...

Once again i apologize for the long delay...

Chapter 6 is ready and let's see how long my beta reader can get this done.

The title should be: **Suspicious**

_and these are the title for my upcoming chapters plan :-_

Chapter 7** ~ Unpleasant discovery**

Chapter 8** ~ The departure  
**

As usual I always welcome any types of comments, be it good or bad, it will be part of my learning lesson ^^ I believe the reader holds the key of an author success. For those who have been reviewing my stories, thank you for your support, you guys are awesome. ***hugs*** and ***kisses*** for you all.

_P/s - Supposedly I had drawn a picture of Aito, but it was too terrible to be shown public! LOL so until I have gut to show it I shall keep it! LOL_


	6. Suspicious

**Chapter notes:**

_Dear Rin..._

_"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often you look so long at the closed door that you do not see the one which has opened for you."_

_

* * *

_

The Lily of the Valley signifies _**"The Return of Happiness" **_

_**

* * *

**_

**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of **_Rumiko Takahashi. _**

**_

* * *

_**

**Chapter 6 – Suspicious**

Under the moonlight, a startled Rin stares at Sesshoumaru's impassive face with her wide large hazelnut eyes while her hand lifts to cover her gapping mouth. The taiyoukai's question is now echoing clearly in her ears. The demon lord's gaze does not leave the river.

Rin looks away; it is needed as she feels extremely shameful at this moment. She rolls her eyes a bit to the right trying to catch the demon lord's facial expressions. Just as always, the taiyoukai shows no emotion. His golden eyes stare blankly at the moonlight river. Who knows what the demon lord is thinking at this moment. _Is Lord Sesshoumaru angry with me?_ Rin thought as she lets out a small sigh. She remains silent; she sets her tired eyes on the beautiful river. The scenery created by the moonlight river is too beautiful to be spoiled by the current conversation. She shuts her eyes and breaths deeply, hoping to gain some relaxation. A warm breeze blows creating a refreshing feeling which has helps Rin to clear a little tension in her thoughts. She draws her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and rests her chin within her knee.

"He is a gentleman." Rin acknowledges with a barely audible voice due to the fact that it is taking all of her moral fiber to answer her lord. Sesshoumaru narrows his eyes sending an unsatisfied look at the girl.

"Oh that's very interesting. Well I am a gentleman too; does that mean I am the father of the kid? Your sense of humor has definitely improved Rin." The taiyoukai answers sarcastically. Rin gasps in shock; she rolls her eyes to steal a glance of the demon lord's face. His face is serious.

"No, it is not like that, he is just errrm .. an ordinary man." Rin instantly regrets her words. There is no way an ordinary man could have a child with white hair and orange eyes. She buries her face in shame between her knees struggling to think of a proper excuse. Sesshoumaru's brow narrows, but he shows no other reaction.

"I believe you are making fun of me." The taiyoukai states coolly. Rin snaps her head up in shock.

"Of course not why would I be making fun of you my lord?" Rin asks confused. The demon lord turns to face the girl as he taps on his nose. Rin thinks her lord gesturing is cute but she does not feel like laughing because that would just show that she is indeed making fun of the demon lord's superior sense of smell.

"Aito has a unique scent which will not belong to an ordinary human and yet you claim that his father is a human. Don't make fun of me Rin." Sesshoumaru firmly replies. It is clear the demon lord is slightly upset with the way the girl tries to twist the answer, however he does not take offence. He understands that Rin has her own reasons to do so. But Rin is nearly chocked by her lord's statement. She is trying to explain but unable to the find the right words.

"I am sorry my lord. I did not mean to upset you, please forgive me." Rin sounds rather gloomy as she rests her chin in-between her knees. The demon lord's heart is in anguish at the sight of the girl struggling. Instead of explaining she chooses to apologize. He is surprised to see how much time has changed this bubbly happily girl into someone so secretive. Sesshoumaru sighs in disappointment.

"You have changed a lot; you have lost your smile." The demon lord voices his concern. Rin remains silent. She is kind of agreeing with her lord, there is probably not much of a reason for her to be smiling other than when it pertains to her son.

"You never disobey me before." Sesshoumaru continues. Rin slightly moves her head to the side to glance at her lord's face side view.

"When did I ever disobey you my lord?" Rin questions astounded.

"You have avoided all of my questions." Sesshoumaru replies unequivocally.

"I am not avoiding, I just ... " Rin swallows hard as she continues. "I just need some time and it's not like you can't figure it out by yourself." The taiyoukai's eyes widens before he shoots a stern look at the girl, if those words were coming from others, he would have strangled them instantly but there is no way he can do so such a thing to Rin. Sesshoumaru shifts his gaze to the moonlight river. Few years ago under the same moonlight, they were close to each other, today they look nothing of the like but strangers. Closing his eyes for a moment, he knows what he has to do. The taiyoukai rises from the grass and turns, taking his leave. Rin's head snaps up and watches the demon lord walking in the direction of the hut.

"Where are you going my lord?" Rin inquires in confusion. She rises from the ground and faces the back of the taiyoukai who has stopped but is not turning back.

"I am leaving." Sesshoumaru answers coolly without turning his head as he continues on his path leaving the startled girl behind. Rin's warm hazelnut eyes fully glass over with unshed tears as she watches the demon lord walk further and further away from her. Her heart beats rapidly; her unstable emotion has made her loose her mind and soul. She is loosing her composure and slowly drops to her knees. She trembles as her head lowers and grips at the grass beneath her. Clenches both her hands into fists, Rin starts to curse herself badly as she regrets every single word she has said to her lord earlier. Tears brim in her eyes, and the girl cries her heart out.

On the other side, Sesshoumaru can distinctly smell the scent of tears from Rin but he does not stop in his tracks. While he doesn't plan to leave the girl until he seeks out the answer from her, he wishes to at least walk away from the scene, allowing the girl to retire for the day. Since the conversations between them aren't going well, there is no point to keep pestering the girl. The demon lord thinks to himself that perhaps he shouldn't have brought this matter up at this time. He thinks he should give the girl some time to adjust with the current situation. Sesshoumaru sighs uncharacteristically.

Rin watches her lord's shadow disappear. Her mind is really blurry as she is unable to think off what to do. She clutches her chest tightly with her right hand. Rin breathes heavily, trying to control her weep. _I have just seen Lord Sesshoumaru, I can not let him go so soon. He deserves an answer and I should deserve some time too. No! I can't afford to let him go. I can not to let him go! _Rin repeatedly murmurs those words as she tries hard to rise from the grass. Her body has reached its limit but she needs a little bit more of strength to catch up with her lord. Without further delay, Rin speeds as fast as she could to chase down the taiyoukai.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru, please wait up!" Rin shouts as loud as she could as she continues running. She tracks down the demon lord not far away from the hut. _Thank god!_ The girl thinks to herself. Sesshoumaru has stopped; he is not turning back but waiting. Rin stops behind the taiyoukai and pants heavily, trying to catch her breath.

"My lord, please stay another day, I promise to explain everything you want to know, please my lord please." Rin is begging the demon lord in a shaky voice as she swallows hard to catch her breath again. Sesshoumaru remains in his position unmoved.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." The taiyoukai begins to walk away but Rin manages to run past her lord and blocks his path. She is now facing the demon lord with her swollen reddened eyes. Sesshoumaru is astounded watching Rin drop to her knees with her head lowered as she grips the dirt beneath her.

"Lord Sesshoumaru I beg you, please give me at least one more day. Today's day was tiring, I was up before dawn approached, I have not been sleeping well for the past few days since Aito was sick and I have plenty of things to do at work. I really need a rest now. Please my lord PLEASE!" Rin cries as she continues pleading with her forehead touching the ground several times. She continues the same action; the contact with the dirt is a bit hard that it leaves small bruises on her temple. Sesshoumaru quickly walks up to the girl, drops to one knee and lays his hands on Rin's shoulders to stop her. She is struggling to keep her composure.

"Enough Rin. I shall inquire no more until you are feeling comfortable." The demon lord's voice softens as his heart is in anguish to see the girl's plight. He does not mean to make her suffer. A warm hand reaches out to touch the girl's face; he guides the girl to look up. Sesshoumaru's heart is despondent as he spots the bruises on Rin's temple. Gently he uses his thumb to rub on the bruise and places a kiss on it. It causes the girl to shudder.

"You may go and rest." Sesshoumaru says softly. Rin silently inclines her head to acknowledge that she has heard and accepted his help to rise from the grass. The girl walks away from the demon lord but stops after a few steps as she turns in the direction of her lord.

"My lord, do you hate me?" Rin asks in guilt. Sesshoumaru stares at her intently. _Do I hate this girl? _The taiyukai questions himself in his thoughts. _She was nothing when I revive her with tenseiga. She was something when she lost her life in hell. She was everything when she left the western fortress a few years ago. There is no way I could hate this girl, who has brought so much of change in me. _Sesshoumaru thinks as his golden gaze fixes on Rin.

"Why should I?" the demon lord replies as he walks closer to the girl, and gently brushes away the remaining tears on her cheeks. A long moment of silence follows.

"Rin get going, there are only a few hours left before dawn approaches." Sesshoumaru declares. Rin noddes and turns to leave. The demon lord watches the girl walk back to the hut.

As Rin reaches the hut, she learns that the green toad is sitting at the bench located nearby the hut, facing the direction of the river. She walks closer and approaches the little kappa.

"Master Jaken, am sorry about the inconvenience earlier, Aito did not mean to be rude, he was just happy to have guests. You know that I know you won't be this small hearted don't you?" Rin apologizes with a slight tease in her tone. The little toad doesn't seem too pleased with the girl's comment but chooses not to press further. Jaken sighs as Rin chuckles at the toad's reaction. The green kappa shoots a stern look at the human girl.

"What is so funny girl?" Jaken asks sarcastically. Rin can't help herself but to burst out a small grin with her fingers covering her mouth.

"I am sorry Master Jaken; I just miss your face expressions." Rin replies as she sports a delighted smile. The green toad turns to face the girl's smiling face. His brow narrows in annoyance.

"You fool, where have you been all this time? Do you know how long we have been searching for you?" The green toad queries in displeasure. Rin's smile fades as it gets replaced with a gloomy face. _They were searching \for me all these years? _The girl thinks in guilt as she slowly turns to enter the hut without bothering to reply the toad.

"Hey girl, are you not listening to me? You have grown this tall and still yet to learn manners. Human are plain selfish!" It is just when the toad finishes his last word a giant rock hits him causing the green kappa to shout as he loses his balance and falls off the bench. After laying there for a moment he feels the top of his head only to find a bump there. He then catches a glimpse of the taiyoukai's shadow.

Rin chuckles hearing the toad shout. She was remembering the days she traveled with her lord, Jaken used to face same fate whenever he tried to over smart her.

The girl then walks to the bed and lays beside Aito. She stretches out her right hand, she places it on the boy's forehead to check his body temperature. _Thank god the fever has completely gone. _Rin whispers with a smile. Massaging Aito's temple, the girl stares at her poor son's face. The boy is only 4 years old but he has already suffered lots of hardships. Even then Aito always seem to be tougher than her mother. Whenever something bad happened, he will always stay in her embrace and speak lots of encouraging words. It always made Rin realize that, if her son can endure so much and still keep going, how could she do anything less? Aito is the only reason for Rin to live on.

"Son you are as tough as your father, you will definitely grow up as strong as your father." Rin speaks but her voice is barely audible as she smiles with tribulation at her son. Aito seems to hear his mother as his eyes are half opened and bleary. He seems to murmur some words but Rin is unable to make out anything. She then pulls Aito a bit closer; he is asleep again but with a thumb in his mouth. Rin can't help but laugh at Aito's cute gesture. Seeing her son deeply slumbering, she slowly drifts her mind off to sleep.

Sesshoumaru rests himself under one of the trees not far way from the hut. He does not wish to move further away from Rin, the girl could be exposed to a variety of dangers. Living in this simple hut which is quite isolated from the village doesn't seem to be safe. The taiyoukai begins to wonder why the girl doesn't just live in the village instead. _Perhaps it has to do with Aito? _Sesshoumaru tries to guess in his thoughts. The demon lord found the kid quite amusing. For some reason Aito seems to resemble so much of him. The white hair and the orange eyes definitely have their similarities with him. Now the scent, the demon lord strongly believes he has caught some of his scent around Aito. Not much but very mild. _Could Aito be my son?_ Sesshoumaru excitedly questions himself.

The taiyukai golden gaze is fixed above upon the starry skies. The moon still shines beautiful. Locking his gaze around the moonlight river, the memory of what happened several years ago is flashing back and forth in the taiyoukai's mind. That night the same moonlight was shining by the pond of his private chamber, when everyone was busy celebrating the lord's victories of defeating the panther clan. It as a very significant victory since the demon lord proved that keeping the human girl in the fortress has not weakened his strength. Instead of celebrating with the crowd, Sesshoumaru choose to have some private celebration with the human girl.

Sesshoumaru's heart is despondent at the memories of that night. It was a stunning night; the demon lord and the girl had their private conversation, where they shared their own feelings. The night completely belonged to them, where they spoke face to face and skin touched skin. They were so close to each other that even if they didn't speak they could still know what's on each other's minds. _I have unofficially mated with Rin, though I did not mark her on that night, since she had surrendered herself to me, she is mine. _Sesshoumaru clenches his fist tightly, he regrets for not marking the girl. If he had marked Rin that night, their life would be linked and it probably wouldn't have taken him this long to trace the girl. The demon lord lets out a loud growl in anger.

It is at this time the green toad approaches the demon lord. With the bump on his head the little kappa stares at the angry lord intently.

"Errr my lord, is everything ok?" Jaken inquires with a shaky voice. Sesshoumaru narrows his eyes as he sends the toad a stern look.

"You are not going to pick any fight with the kid. If he requires help you will have to serve him." Sesshoumaru warns the toad as he shifts his gaze back to the river before he continues.

"Be gone. Do not return until dawn." The green toad's jaw drops in shock. _Why do I have to serve that kid when he has insulted me? That's not fair!_ The little kappa thought furiously biting his own sleeve.

"But my lord why shoul.." The green toad is not able to finish his question as he is interrupt by the taiyoukai.

"Be gone!"

"Yes my lord right away." Jaken flees as fast as his small legs allow him to.

Sesshoumaru watches the toad disappear. He sighs, finally he is alone. His mind is still puzzled with some others doubt. He can confirm that he has caught no other male scent around the house, which proves Rin is not staying with another male. Furthermore he does not catch another demon's scent on Aito except the mild scent which belongs to the taiyoukai. Which means the boy could be his child. But there is this strange demon scent caught on Rin's body. It is a scent from a leopard demon. _Why would this man's scent be caught around Rin? Who is this demon? They must have been in a very close distance to have the scent caught around her. Does this man have anything to do with Rin's job? _Sesshoumaru whispers as he shut his eyes off. He is trying to picture the kid's appearance in his mind. Other than his eyes and the hair, there are no other signs that he could use to trace. _Wait a second!_ The demon lord pops his eyes wide open in a sudden. _If Aito is my son, he has to be a half demon._ Sesshoumaru's thoughts run wild as he smirks victoriously to himself. Now that he recalls, Aito has a scarf wrapped around his head. _The truth is behind the scarf. _The demon lord smiles mischievously.

"Everything will be revealed once the scarf is removed." Sesshoumaru declares out aloud.

* * *

**Chapter end notes:**

I am on leave so I should get more time to catch up with this story. I have told in the previous chapter, things will start to reveal very soon. I did not intend to make Rin holds up Aito's father identity. Imagine they have separated for 5 years, I don't think you can clear all the doubts in one night. Give her some time ^_^

As usual I always welcome any types of reviews because I believe the reader holds the key of an author success. For those who have been reviewing my stories, thank you for your support, you guys are awesome. ***hugs*** and ***kisses*** for you all. They empowered me to write more ^_^ cheer!


	7. Unpleasant discovery

**Chapter notes: **

"_Love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person, love is about trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of, love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you."_

_

* * *

_

The Lily of the Valley signifies _**"The Return of Happiness"**_

_**

* * *

**_

**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of **_Rumiko Takahashi._**

**_

* * *

_**

**Chapter 7 – Unpleasant discovery**

Rin wakes up with a warm sensation over her body. She turns to face the windows and catches the sunlight shining brilliantly all over her small hut. She smiles at the beautiful scene. All of a sudden she feels something is wrong.

"Sunshine? Since when do I get the opportunity to watch it from bed?" Rin then turns to her back and spots Aito still in deep sleep.

"OH NO! I am terribly late for work!" Covering her wide gapping mouth with both hands Rin tries to calm herself down. She is going to be late for work and she has no time to even prepare food for her son. Rubbing her blurry eyes the girl rises from the bed as she approaches the nearest wooden wardrobe to pick up a new kimono. She has to wash herself before leaving for work. Quickly the girl runs to the door and pushes it apart.

The sun shines brightly as she finds it difficult to open her eyes fully. After a few blinks she manages to see the surrounding. Sesshoumaru is nowhere to be seen, so is the green toad. _Lord Sesshoumaru might have walked away for awhile, I think I better not think too much._ Rin thinks as she assures herself that the demon lord did not leave. She then makes her way further down to the river. Once she has undress and set her dirty kimono aside, Rin walks into the stream and she starts to clean herself. She is washing as fast as she can since there isn't much time left. Once she is satisfied in getting rid the burnt fish odor away, Rin walks back to the shore as she dry her hair and body. She has her favorite pink kimono, on which it has some beautiful sakura flowers painted on it. This kimono was a present to the girl by the demon lord. After securely fastening the red obi around her waist she picks up the dirty kimono and turns to leave. It is at this time she sees Sesshoumaru standing not far away from the place she was dressing herself. Her face flushes in red. Sesshoumaru watches the girl approach as he notices her reddened face. The taiyoukai smirks at this view of the girl face.

"My lord how long you have been here?" Rin asks curiously as she deliberately shuns away to avoid looking into the demon lord's eyes. Sesshoumaru almost laughs at the girl's expression but he remains impassive.

"Since you where walking into the stream." Sesshoumaru answers coolly. He notices the girl's hazelnut eyes widen with her hand covering her mouth in shock. _Since I walked into the stream? Did he... see everything? _Rin was so drowned in her own thoughts that she did not notice that the demon lord was observing her from head to toes.

"You look pretty in this kimono." Sesshoumaru's compliment snaps the girl's attention back. She tilts her head up to face the demon lord who is staring at her with his warm golden eyes full of affection.

"Thank you my lord" Rin responds with a cheerful smile. "I love the flowers painted on this kimono, it looks so beautiful." The girl lowers her head to look around her kimono as she swirls merrily. The demon lord feels pleasant to see the girl in joyful mood.

"You seem to be rushing." Sesshoumaru interrupts the rejoicing girl. Rin stops swirling and she turns to face the demon lord in a panicky expression.

"Oh I almost forget I am late for work my lord, I used to wake up before dawn but I over slept today. I need to be hurry, I am sorry my lord I have to excuse myself for now. See you later." Rin hurries herself back to the hut leaving the demon lord in doubt.

_Hmm work at this time? _Sesshoumaru thoughts are disturb as he watches the girl pacing back to the hut.

Rin sets down her dirty kimono beside the wardrobe, she will deal with that later tonight. She then moves and sits by the edge of the bed to wake her son.

"Aito my dear son, please wake up." Rin whispers softly into her son's ears. The boy is struggling to part his eyes as he keeps blinking a couple of times; gently rubbing his eyes his mother's frame is finally clearly visible. He then yawns with both of his hand stretched wide above.

"Good morning Mo-mother." Aito greets his mother in a grabbled voice. Rin smiles as she places a kiss on his forehead.

"God morning my dear son, how was your sleep? I see you have slept quite long today. How do you feel now?" Rin asks as Aito rises to a sitting position and faces his mother.

"Aito feels much better with the long sleep and I think I feel hungry now. What's for breakfast mother?" Aito inquires in excitement. Rin feels sorry for not being able to make food for her son. She scoops Aito into her arms and gathers him into her lap.

"Sorry Aito, mother woke up late today, I was not able to prepare breakfast for you. Can you do hunting by yourself?" Rin asks in guilt. Aito's snaps up to look at his mother with joy.

"Hunting? Yay! Aito loves to do hunting, don't worry mother, I can fix my own meal." The boy answers enthusiastically as he throws his arms around his mother neck. He pulls away from his mother a bit before he continues.

"Mother can I bring Lord Sesshoumaru along?" Aito asks eagerly. Rin's eyes narrow slightly in confusion.

"Aito, you cannot say 'bring Lord Sesshouamru along', you can only ask his permission to join you, understand? He is a lord and you are going to speak with etiquette" Rin explains carefully.

"Then I shall bring Jaken with me and ask Lord Sesshoumaru to come along." Aito answers gleefully. He drops off from his mother's lap to the ground and jumps merrily. Rin chuckles at her son's words. She feels pity for the green toad.

"Yes you definitely can bring master Jaken along but you have to address him with title, promise?" Rin instructs as she leaves the bed and walks over to her son. Bringing Aito closer to her arms, she adjusts the scarf around his head to make sure it is tighten.

"Remember to never ever remove the scarf." Rin warns her son seriously. Aito sends a puzzled look to his mother but nods in acknowledgement.

"I shall get going now son, be careful while hunting. Mother loves you." Rin kisses her son's forehead before releasing Aito from her arms and walks out the door. As the girl walks down the path to the direction of the Geisha house, Rin paces as fast as she could. She hopes Akemi would not have revealed anything about Sesshoumaru to Tsuyu. _Dear Akemi please wait till I come, I promise to offer you a detailed explanation. _Rin's thoughts roll worriedly. Just as the girl is about to speed up her pace she feels her arms are being pulled by a strong hand. She turns to find that it is Sesshoumaru.

"Where do you think you are going girl?" Sesshoumaru questions seriously. Rin frowns annoyed. She remembers about mentioning about her being late for work earlier to the taiyoukai.

"I told you just now that I am late for work my lord. I need to hurry. Please release me my lord." Rin sounds rather disturbed but the demon lord's face is irate too.

"You are not going to work at that hellish place, it is not meant for someone like you." The demon lord states firmly. Rin stares in confusion. Although working at kitchen might be a bit dangerous to some extend but it can hardly be classified as hell.

"That isn't a bad place my lord, although I did get a few injuries in the beginning, but it has reduced much in the recent years. Things are getting handy now." Rin smiles at the end of her explanation. Sessoumaru bares his fangs and growls in anger. The girl is shocked by the taiyoukai reaction.

"Those BASTARDS! For what they have got from you, they end up hurting you? Tell me who are they and I shall exact revenge!" The taiyoukai's golden eyes are almost turned to red. His blood is boiling in his veins thinking of those lowlifes who have hurt his Rin. The girl is completely lost with the conversation. She does not get the idea as to who her lord is referring to.

"Who are you talking about my lord, nobody has hurt me, and in fact this is an unavoidable injury. It is not easy to handle those kitchen utensils; I had got minor cuts and burns in the early stages but now no more. Being a kitchen helper does expose you to those dangers so no one is to be blame." Sesshoumaru's eyes widen with the girl's explanation. He feels so silly with his remarks earlier. He is pissed at himself as to how he could come to a conclusion of Rin being a geisha. Although he did catch her scent in the entire Geisha house but that can also be due to the fact the kitchen is nearby. The demon lord closes his eyes and sighs in relief. When he reopens his eyes, Rin is staring at him in confusion. The girl bends a little to capture the taiyukai's face.

"What's wrong my lord? You seem to have spoken something that I don't understand. On whom you want to exact revenge?" Rin's head is rolling with question marks as she tries to read her lord. Sesshoumaru somehow keeps his face impassive and never lets his aloof expression alter.

"I said nothing." The taiyoukai answers coolly. Rin straightens her back but still remains in her puzzled expression. Her reaction somehow pleases the demon lord. He walks up to the girl, wrapping his right arm around her waist as he bends a little lower to scoops up her legs with his left arm; carrying the human girl in bridal fashion. Rin is astounded by Sesshoumaru's action.

"What are you doing my lord?" Rin asks in astonishment.

"I believe you are in a hurry." Before Rin manages to respond, the demon lord lifts her into the air and flies in the direction of the Geisha house.

Sesshoumaru lands right in front of the Geisha house's main entrance where he had encountered those 2 geisha the previous night. The place is quiet at this time of the day.

"My lord put me down here I shall walk to the kitchen." Rin requests as Sesshoumaru release her from his arms.

"Thank you my lord, you have saved lots of my time." The girl bows a little before she turns and takes the small path at the side of the Geisha house connecting to the kitchen. Sesshoumaru watches Rin's shadow disappear. He stays for a while to inspect the surroundings. _No scent of demon and danger free._ Once satisfied with his checking the demon lord sniffs the air and then flies up into the air and heads back to the hut.

When Rin approaches the kitchen entrance she pauses and checks the surroundings. Everyone has started with their work. She feels so sorry for being late; they are all very focused as if they have plenty of dishes to prepare. Rin sighs in guilt. Just as she is about to join the ladies, she feels a hand lightly tapping on her right shoulder. She turns to see Tsuyu san smiling at her. Rin returns the gesture with a light smile.

"Sorry Tsuyu san, I slept a bit too long today, I was so exhausted last night." Rin apologizes with a small bow.

"Its ok Rin, does Aito feel better now?" Tsuyu asks in concern.

"Yes he has fully recovered, and will do his own hunting today since I did not have the time to make him breakfast." Rin states as Tsuyu guides her to the worker's cabin.

"That's great, now you don't have to worry much about him. No wonder you have slept for long. Now put your kappōgia on, I need you to help Akemi to wash some vegetables." Tsuyu instructs and the girl nods. Rin quickly grabs the kappōgia and has it on before heading out to the kitchen. Tsuyu is already there with Akemi with lots of vegetables in the bucket. Rin joins the duo, Akemi glances seriously at the girl with her eyes lashes battling, hinting about her promise. Rin grins lightly as she inclines her head to acknowledge Akemi that she remembers. Once Tsuyu has instructed the work, she leaves the duo alone. A moment of silence follows.

"So you were late, I thought the demon had kidnapped you last night." Akemi is first to speak. Rin turns to face Akemi.

"Its just one of those days I feel a longer sleep is needed. Nothing connected with my lord." The girl states with a light smile.

"Ya right, that fierce demon looks like he is going to eat you alive. I couldn't sleep well last night because of his stare. Deadly gaze." Akemi slightly shakes her shoulder to indicate she is trembling in fear. Rin chuckles at Akemi's reaction.

"He might look fierce but he has a kind heart." Rin smiles sweetly with her cheeks slightly flushed in red. Akemi narrows her eyes, looking at the blushing girl, mystified. She raises her left hand to pinch on Rin's left cheek.

"Ouch! What are you doing Akemi? It hurts." Rin gently rubs her cheek.

"To pull you out of that dream so you can start telling me who's this so call Lord is." Akemi voices seriously as she continues with her work. Rin sends a big smile to the girl as she begins her story.

_Meanwhile at the hut..._

When Sesshoumaru reaches the hut, he spots Aito teasing the green kappa. He pulls the toad hands and legs with a big laugh. While Jaken seems to be annoyed with the kid's bullying, the demon lord seems pleased with the sight of the toad's expression. As the taitoukai walks closer to the duo, Aito releases the green toad and runs to the demon lord's side.

"Lord Sesshoumaru did you just send mother off to work? I saw you fly up into the sky and it is awesome! I have never flown in the sky before and I always thought only birds can do it." The excited kid asks. Jaken who has just managed to regain his balance shoots a stern look at the kid.

"Hey kid you have no right to question the lord. Be silent!" The green toad crosses his arms around his chest in annoyance. Aito turns to face the toad with an angry look.

"Then who are you to speak here Jaken? The lord holds the right to speak and certainly not a lowly demon like you. You don't have the power to voice a single comment toad!" Aito angles his head a bit to face the little kappa. His sunset eyes pierce through the round eyes of the toad. Jaken thought he has saw the kid's eyes flashing in red but he instantly rubs his eyes and finds only a pair of orange eyes staring fiercely. Both Sesshoumaru and Jaken are astounded by the kid's comments. Rin is definitely not going to be pleased with her son's behavior.

"She was late and I offer the favor." The demon lord's simple answer seems to make the kid so happy. He jumps merrily and twirls around the taiyouki.

"What a pathetic kid." Jaken whispers but the demon lord catches the words clearly. Sending the green toad a deathly look, Jaken goes on his knee and starts apologizing. Aito laughs his heart out.

"Lord Sesshoumaru may you come with me? I need to hunt for food." Aito turns his pleading face to the taiyokai. The demon lord is unable to bring himself to reject the invitation. He then turns and walks away from the duo. Aito seems to understand the demon lord's action as he quickly runs to Sesshoumaru's side. He barely reaches Sesshouamru's knee. Jaken watches the kid without blinking his eyes. _The kid sure has a fierce gaze, he resembles Lord Sesshoumaru. _The green toad shakes his head heavily to erase his silly idea as he too follows at the back of the duo.

_Back to the kitchen... _

Both Rin and Akemi are now draining the vegetables from the water preparing to send it back to the kitchen.

"So that is how you know the demon lord. I am not surprised that you have such a strong trust in him. I am sorry about my harsh comments yesterday." Akemi apologizes as she has now fully understood the whole story. Rin shakes her head lightly to indicate that she takes no offence about yesterday.

"I would have done the same if I was in your position so I can't entirely blame you too." Rin replies with a light smile. Akemi returns the same smile as they both carry the vegetables to cooking area.

While Akemi chopped several ingredients to be used for the vegetable dish, Rin has started the fire to heat some oil in the wok.

"I heard Ryuuki met up with you on your way back home yesterday. So what was the outcome? Still going merry-go-round with the poor guy huh?" Akemi inquires as she concentrates on her cutting. Rin chuckles a little.

"Nothing going on, in fact we won't be going anywhere. We are who we are; we won't be going to next level. He is my savior; both Aito and I will be never able repay that debt. I will remember that in my heart." Rin replies seriously. Akemi stares at the girl in a gloomy gaze.

"Poor Ryuuki." Akemi sighs heavily. Rin chooses to not further press on with this matter. There is nothing she can do with Ryuuki and Akemi should understand love has to come naturally; it is not something you could use to repay off the debt. They both continue with their tasks and hope to finish it before lunch time.

On the other side in the forest Aito has led Sesshoumaru and the green toad further down the river from the hut. He ensures to not approach too closely to the river near the village. Rin never wants the villagers to insult Aito's appearance and speak something bad about his father. That is why they chose to live a bit far from the Tsuyu's village.

"Wow look here my lord, there are plenty of fish. Yum yum!" Aito turns to the back and exclaims at the demon lord. Jaken sends an unpleased gaze to the kid but the boy did not seem to care. Instead he rolls up his sleeves and his hakama higher before plunging into the water. The taiyoukai finds a comfortable spot. He rests under the tree not far away from Aito. Jaken follows but sits a bit farther from the demon lord. Both their gazes are fixed on the kid who is fully focused on catching a fish. A strong wind blows in the vincinty. The demon lord's nose catches a familiar scent approaching. After rolling his golden eyes around, he finally spots the direction from where of the scent is coming from. A tall white figure slowly appears from the bushes as the figure heads in the direction of the kid. _The same scent was caught on Rin last night. Who is this demon?_ Sesshoumaru questions himself in his thoughts as he observes the demon carefully.

"My dear Aito, how are you doing?" Ryuuki shouts at the shore as the boy turns.

"Master Ryuuki!" Aito runs happily to the shore and he speeds to the leopard demon's open arms. Ryuki bends to pick the boy up, slinging him up a bit higher before setting the kid close to his arms.

"Let me see you properly." Ryuuki observes the kid face before he continues. "Looks like your fever was gone son, you look much healthier. I was worried since your mom mentioned you have been sick for the past few days."

"Aito feels much better! When did you see mother?" the kid asks, confused.

"Yesterday when she was off from kitchen and your mother looks lovely as always. Don't you think so son?" the demon replies playfully and it makes Aito chuckle.

"Of course! My mother is the prettiest women in this entire universe!" Aito shouts out loud with both of his arms stretched high in the sky. Ryuuki is pleased with the remarks as he laughs out loud. Sesshoumaru looks on annoyingly at the pair; he doesn't seem too pleased with what he is seeing. _This demon seems to be close to Aito_. The taiyoukai's gaze somehow has affected Ryuuki. Ryuuki turns to search that annoying gaze and spots a demon sat at the nearby tree. Ryuuki frowns in doubt.

"Hey Aito who is that ego demon sitting there? Do you know him?" The bewildered leopard demon inquires.

"My lord is mother's trusted friend. He is so beautiful especially the blue crescent moon on his forehead! Aito love it!" The kid declares delightfully. Ryuuki shoot his eyes to Sesshoumaru, both their glares clash in the mid air.

"Trusted?" Ryuuki murmurs.

"Yes master Ryuuki, mother told Aito to respect him as she trusts no one above Lord Sesshoumaru." The boy explains. Ryuuki is not pleased to hear the comment. He sets Aito down on the sand and kneels down before the kid.

"My dear Aito, I will be off again and this time it will be slight longer. There are things that need my attention. But this time I will be off for good, when I return I hope your mother will allow me to take you and her to my place. I will build my own house and there you don't have to worry about food, your mother won't have to work anymore. Do you like that?" The leopard asks proudly. Aito is amused with what he has heard.

"Mother doesn't have to work anymore? She can play with Aito whole day? Hooray! Aito loves anything if mother doesn't have to work anymore." The kid exclaims and claps happily! Poor kid he doesn't know what Ryuuki is talking about. Aito's reaction pleases the leopard demon, he smiles victoriously to the kid. He lands his right hand on top of the boy's head and strokes him several times.

"Good boy. See you!" Ryuuki place a kiss on Aito's temple as he turns to leave. The boy waves his hands for a goodbye. The leopard demon catches the most precious expression on the kid's face. Nothing is worth more than to see that kid's reaction. As he turns to the direction of Sesshoumaru, Ryuuki utters some words on his own.

"No one will stand in my way to build this family." Whispering to himself the leopard demon deliberately walks in the direction where the taiyoukai sits. When Ryuuki almost passes at the side of the dog demon, Sesshoumaru rises on his feet.

"Mind your own business leopard." Sesshoumaru cautions fiercely.

"Same to you dog." Ryuuki shoots back coolly. The taiyoukai's right hand touches the grip of Bakusaiga as he prepares to draw it while the leopard demon does the same. Both demons send deadly glares at each other. Ryuuki is first to release his grip off his sword. He smiles sarcastically at the demon dog.

"I have no mood to engage in unnecessary confrontation. I don't have the interest to know who you are and I certainly do not care what your relationship with Rin was." The leopard demon turns his back to the taiyoukai as he continues." She is mine and I allow no one to stand in my way. Keep that in your mind dog."

Sesshoumaru hissed as he sends a stern look towards Ryuuki. _Who is this low class demon that dares to claim what is mine?_ The demon lord bares his fangs in anger and roars.

"Mind your actions leopard, claiming something that belongs to others will send you to your death path." The taiyoukai asserts calmly. He remains impassive even though his anger does not turn away. Ryuuki laughs out loud. It hurts the demon lord's ears.

"Do I look like I care? I watched her give birth to Aito, I witnessed the girl raising the kid ALONE! Don't talk to me about she belonging to anyone. If the man couldn't care less about if she was alive or dead, I will look after her with my life!" The leopard demon hisses in anger and roars.

"You know nothing about her life. There's a reason why she was left behind." Sesshoumaru replies and strangely calm. In fact he agrees with this demon's remarks. Rin might have left for unknown reasons but she has the right to choose her mate since she was not marked by anyone yet. _I should have marked Rin that night!_ The demon lord cusses as he clenches his fist tightly.

"No one except me knows what Rin has gone through these past few years. She deserves a better life. Anyway everything is over now; the girl has agreed to surrender her life under my care. I will am going to disappoint her." Ryuuki lies to the taiyoukai. He couldn't care less who this demon is to Rin, all he knows is he has put so much effort in winning the girl's heart and he just couldn't afford to let any man step in his way. Since Aito reveals that Rin trusts no one other than this demon dog, he feels his position is threatened. _Sorry Rin I promised to look after you forever._

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes pop out wide. He is speechless for the first time in his entire life. His mind goes insane, and he is lost in his thoughts. _Rin has agreed to be this leopard's wife? So that's the explanation as to why she was so secretive last night? And that's why she acted so strange in front of me? Treating me like a stranger? _Sesshoumaru's heart shatters like a breaking glass. He allows no emotions, he recognizes no pain and he bears no feelings to anything in this world in his entire life but now he suffers the most painful feeling in his heart. The feeling of betrayal. Ryuuki does not care to spot the changes in emotion on the demon dog face, for what he knows is that, he has sent out a clear message and he is satisfied now. No regrets with what he has spoken.

"I have embraced her before and I allow no one to take her away from me. Farewell dog." Ryuuki leaves the absentminded taiyoukai behind with a victorious smile. _Embrace?... so that's how Rin has got the scent from this demon._ Sesshoumaru whispers in despair. He scrunches his fist tightly till it bleeds and the blood drips from his fingers. Strangely the demon lord feels the pain from the wound which he has never felt before. When Ryuuki's shadow disappears from the demon lord golden's sights, Sesshoumaru turns to face the river. He does not care whether the green toad is watching him. All he wishes now is for some peace of mind. He wishes badly to have his usual self to return. The cold heart demon who bears no such weakness, or perhaps he should have not even fallen for this human in the beginning. Lord Sesshoumaru, the great dog demon of the west defeated by a human girl.

The demon lord locks his golden gaze over the kid on the river, trying to find the similarity between the kid and him. He knows that's the only thing could heal his heart. A mild scent was caught, but he insists to find solid proof. When a strong wind suddenly blows, the cry of the green toad shouting after losing his balance and falling on the grass is heard. That's when Aito's scarf flies off of his head.

Sesshoumaru golden eyes pop wide open as his jaw drops in disbelief.

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**Chapter end notes:  
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I am sorry for 3 weeks delay. There's lots of things happen, I was being attacked and was quite injured 2 weeks ago. Thank god now i am fully recover. But one thing I can assure is, I have written this till chapter 10. I just need some time to proof read it and post which I think it won't take much of time to do so. I know is hard to keep tracks on a delay update story. For those who still stay with me, thank you for your support and it mean lots to me. For those who has stop follow this tale, I apologize for the cliff and the delay.

As usual I welcome any types of reviews. By reviewing then I will know whether I am still in the right track. Your comments will empower me to write more. Take care and cheer!


	8. The decision

**Chapter notes: **

_"You know that you are in love when the hardest thing to do is say good-bye!"_

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The Lily of the Valley signifies **_"The Return of Happiness"_**

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**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi.**_

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**Chapter 8 – The decision**

Rin scoops some soup into a small bowl and tastes it. She then adds a small amount of salt in it to improve the taste of the soup. After being satisfied with the taste in the second try, she lowers the flame and leaves the soup to cook for another hour. She moves to Akemi's side who has just covered the wok full with ginger chicken. They both exchange smiles, signaling their work is done.

"Time sure flies, looks like it's time for lunch now, my stomach is rumbling like hell." Akemi complains with her right hand lightly rubbing her belly. Rin laughs softly at the girl's rant, that girl always cheers Rin up in any situation.

"Then we should get our meals now before we start another task." Rin recommends with another playful smile as she watches Akemi turn to leave the cooking area. She follows closely after a few moments. As Rin passes one of the windows, she pauses and looks outside. The sun shines overhead in the sky. She starts to doubt if her son has taken his meal. _I wonder what Lord Sesshoumaru and Aito are doing now._ Rin whispers with a small sigh, she then turns to follow Akemi to the cabin. Once they have picked up their lunch box and are about to sit down, Tsuyu comes into the cabin and approaches the duo.

"Hey am glad you both have not started eating yet." Tsuyu moves closer to Rin's side.

"Tsuyu san, are you going to join us for lunch?" Rin happily asks.

"Yes I will join Akemi but not you sweetie." Tsuyu giggles in her reply. Rin's smile drops and her wide open eyes stare at the lady in shock. Tsuyu grins at the girl's expression but chooses not to tease her too much.

"There's a young man waiting impatiently outside, so I assume you won't have time to eat with us though. Now go don't let the man wait too long." Tsuyu gives Rin's shoulder a light push on the back compelling her to go outside. Akemi's eyes blink curiously.

Rin clutches lunch box on her chest and walks slowly to approach the special guest. As she walks a little further away from the kitchen, the girl spots the figure of a tall white demon resting by the oak tree. _Ryuuki? What is he doing here? _Rin is pondering. Although she does not wish to confront him at this moment, she thinks she owes an apology to this man. Walking closer to his side, she smiles lightly at the demon.

"Afternoon Master Ryuuki, good day for you." Rin forces a light smile. The leopard demon seems pleased with whatever smiles the girl gave.

"Rin, I hope I am not disturbing your lunch time. Do you mind to eat here so we can talk for a while?" Ryuuki requestes, his voice is brimmed with apprehension hoping that the girl will not reject him.

"Yes sure." The girl answers instantly. Ryuuki sighs in relief, his chest lightens a bit out of fear a moment ago. _Thank god._ The demon whispers softly. Rin then settles herself on the grass as she unpacks her lunch box and starts eating. Ryuuki sits beside her and observes the girl intensely. He is overwhelmed by the sight of the girl eating. The demon is madly in love with the girl. Rin feels the strong gaze from Ryuuki and is definitely not feeling comfortable. She tries to eat as fast as she can and almost chokes herself. The demon senses the uneasiness around the girl, he sighs heavily.

"Do you really need to get rid of me this fast? Are you that frightened of me?" The leopard demon sounds rather disappointed. Rin instantly regrets the stance she has currently adopted in facing Ryukki. She puts the chopstick down and stares at the man before him. No she is not afraid of Ryuuki, she is just frustrated with his confession.

"No I am not frightened. I am just hungry. She hides her true emotional state. "Sorry if I have offended you yesterday. I was worried about my son." The girl lowers her head to admit her fault. Ryuuki's heart is aching seeing her repsond. He gently tilts the girl's chin up slowly with his right finger.

"You did nothing wrong and I should watch my attitude. I should be the one to say sorry." Ryuuki release his hand as he continues. "Go on with your food." He smiles at the girl. The sun shines through the trees and hits directly on her face, it makes her face glowing brightly in pink. The demon is drowning in her beauty. He has the urge to capture her pink lips but god he has to control himself or he might scare the girl away. _Calm down stupid!_ Ryuuki swears at himself in his thoughts. He looks up and finds the girl busy munching, luckily she has not seen him struggling. The leopard demon sighs in relief as he speaks.

"I will be off again, and when I return back here for the final time, I will be going back there for good." Rin turns to Ryuuki as she swallows a roll of rice down her throat.

"When will you be leaving? And for how long you will be off?" Rin asks as she takes another mouth full of rice with vegetables.

"Leaving today and I don't know for how long I will be gone, that is why I needed to see you." The demon stares at the girl who is now facing him with her mouth full still munching.

"My tribe needs me and I wish to build my home there. This is what my father wants me to do; this is the time to fulfill my parent's wish." Ryuuki shifts his gaze to the clear blue skies above.

"You will be a great leader, your parents will be proud of you." Rin comments with a delightful smile. She then takes up a cup of tea and sips on it. The leopard demon returns his gaze to the girl and he speaks.

"I will not be complete without you. No matter what I will have achieved, it will be pointless if there is no one for me to share with. I need a mate, I wish for a family and I want a heir." Ryuuki's forwardness almost chokes Rin. She does not turn to face the demon. Instead she is packing her lunch box and prepares to leave. She does not want to engage in this conversation again.

"Rin I need you, I want to build a happy family with you, Aito can be my great son and we can have our own kid." The leopard demon continues. Rin rises to her feet and has her back facing Ryuuki. _Enough! _ Rin lightly shakes her head.

"Master Ryuuki I don't want to talk about this right now, may I be excused as I need to go back and work? Have a safe journey." Rin walks away but her right arm is being grabed firml, forcing her to turn right into a mess. The lunch box slips from her hand and falls onto the grass.

"Rin, why are you always avoiding this topic? Aito has turned 4 this year, he is growing up and there is no sign of his father returning, why waste your life for this heartless man?" Ryuuki's voice rises in frustration, his grip tightens on the girl's arm.

"He is not heartless, you don't know anything about him and I warn you again Master Ryuuki, I wish to hear no more critique about him. You understand?" Rin warns the demon with a serious face. But Ryuuki is not satisfied.

"He does not deserve to have such loyalty from you; he does not even care to visit his own son. What a bastard." The demon growls in anger.

"STOP! Who are you to call him a bastard? He did not come to see us because he- he has his own dilemma." Rin yells at the demon as she struggles to free herself from his grip.

"Dilemma? These are all part of his excuses, he simply promised you something and dumped you both aside. He might have even bedded another women by now, you are too naive Rin." Ryuukis's strong comments makes the girl extremely mad. She uses all her strength from her left hand to release herself from the demon's grips which causes her to almost lose her balance in that moment. Rin sends a stern stare to Ryuuki.

"How dare you speak such a thing about him! How many times you want me to repeat? You have no right to judge him! AT ALL!" Rin shoutes out loud with her hands cupped on her ears and shaking her head vehemently. Her expression leaves the leopard demon stunned, if there is something he is scared of in this world, it will be this girl that he fears the most. Her maddened red face has the impression that she is going to break a blood vein at any moment. Ryuuki does not reply, he wants the girl to calm down. A short period of silence follows before the demon attempts to question.

"Am I really not qualified to replace him? Tell me Rin do you think I have no capability to make you happy and protect you?" Ryuuki's voice softens as he seeks for an answer. The girl releases her hands to the side as her painful gaze falls on the grass.

"You are a great man and therefore I don't want you to waste your time on me. Good bye." Rin walks away from the unsatisfied demon but this time Ryuuki speeds in front of rin and grabs her by her shoulders. He presses the girl closer, the leopard demon captures Rin's lips and starts kissing her desperately. Rin fists at the demon's chest as hard as she can, she tries to push him away but Ryuuki's hands firmly holds the back of her head. When Ryuuki brakes from the kiss, Rin slaps hard on left of the demon's face.

"What do you think you are doing? You are showing no respect towards me at all!" The girl wipes her mouth aggressively with her hand as tears stream down and wets her pink cheeks. Ryuuki is shell-shocked, he cannot explain his own actions but he can feel that the girl is extremely disappointed. _Damn you stupid leopard! Why can't you just control yourself?_ The demon curses with his fists clenched tightly on his side.

"Rin am sorry I did not mean to be rude, please forgive me." Ryuuki walks closer to Rin but she steps away from him.

"Get away from me, don't come any closer." Rin warns belligerently.

"Rin I-..."

"Just get away from me PLEASE!" The girl cries out loud. She keeps moving backward without realizing she has stepped on a stone and that makes her fall and land on the grass. Ryuuki rushes to Rin's side to check on her condition but she pushes the demon aside.

"Don't touch me, get away from me now!" Rin's voice is sharp and loud. Ryuuki pauses his steps and stretches out his right palm to show his is stopping. Just at this time Tsuyu and Akemi rush to the duo. They are both startled to see Rin on the grass.

"Ryuuki! What have you done to Rin?" Tsuyu questions the demon as she and Akemi move to the girl's side.

"Rin your palms are bruised a bit. Are you alright?" Akemi gently presses on the girl's palm, she can see the girl biting her lips to show that it is indeed painful. Tsuyu shoots a stern look at the leopard demon. Ryuuki feels awfully guilty, he attempts to walk closer to the girl but hears the same warning again.

"Rin I just want to check on your condition." The demon pleads as he walks closer to the trio.

"NO! Please, just leave me alone. Please." Rin pleads with her voice engrossed in grief and disappointment. Tsuyu and Akemi exchange looks at each other in confusion. Both of them help Rin to rise on her feet. Ryuuki stares melancholy at the girl, he has no one to blame but himself. He wishes badly that the girl does not start to losing faith in him. The leopard demon swears he can't afford to lose even a little bit of trust from this precious girl.

"Alright I won't come anymore closer, but Rin please don't hate me. I swear I did not mean to be harsh, I was just frustrated. We will talk about this after I return from duty." Ryuuki's eyes are fixed on Rin's face, restlessly searching for some sight to relieve his broken heart. Rin does not reply instead she nods lightly in agreement. That is not a soothing sight from the lovely girl but he can't ask for anything more from the poor girl. He knows that this is the price to pay for his inability to control his urges. Without further explanations to the two mystified ladies standing there, Ryuuki nods lightly to the duo as he turns to leave. None of them try to stop the demon as they crutch the girl back to the kitchen.

On the other side of the geisha house, Sesshoumaru rests under the same tree he picked earlier. He raises up his right leg and rests his right hand on top of it. Aito is sitting not far away from the demon lord as he bites a roasted fish in glee, while the green toad sleeps near the kid with a bubble constantly blowing up from his nose. The taiyoukai watches the kid carefully, although he has his scarf back on his head, the sight of him without the thin cloth covering his forehead is the prime interest in the demon lord's thoughts. His mild scent caught on this kid doesn't seem to explain the kid's appearance. _If Aito is truly my son, he should be a half demon, and therefore he should look much the same like that stupid half breed. _The demon lord's thought puzzles, eyeing the kid in disbelief. The kid doesn't have those dog ears like the ones Inuyasha has. Sesshoumaru is struggling to find an answer for this riddle as he watches Aito finish off the fishes he has prepared. The kid sure has inherited his mother's skill for catching fish. He has caught 3 fishes, out of which he has given one to the toad and kept 2 for himself. _The only reason which explains as to why Aito doesn't have those dog ears is... he is not my son._ The taiyoukai whispers as he shuts his eyes off tightly in pain.

Aito turns and catches the demon lord's eyes shut off. _Is Lord Sesshouamru sleeping? _the kid wonders. He then silently and carefully steps closer to Sesshoumaru and sits beside the lord. Aito looks at the demon lord's face and admires his magenta stripes. Aito is enchanted by the blue crescent moon. The demon lord senses the kid nearby but chooses not to bother.

"My guardian angel" These odd words escape from Aito's mouth and catches the taiyoukai's sensitive hearing. He shoots his eyes open to stare at the kid who is observing him intensively. _Guardian angel? _Sesshoumaru thinks to himself silently. Aito rolls his eyes to the left and then to the right pretending that he did not look at the lord but steals a glance at the taiyoukai. Aito can't help it but to stare at the lord's crescent moon.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, t-th-the I-I mean how did you get the blue crescent moon on your forehead?" A shy Aito asks. Sesshoumaru stares curiously at the boy. He does not know why the kid is showing a lot of interest with his family mark.

"It is a family trade mark. Only my bloodline will carry that mark." The taiyoukai answers coolly. Aito blinks his eyes still in doubt.

"Bloodline? What does it have to do with blood? Someone must bleed to get that moon?" The kid doubts. Sesshoumaru narrows his eyes and stares at the boy's inquisitive face. It reminds the demon lord a lot about Rin. Back in the days when Rin was Aito's age, she used to inquire on a lot of matters out of curiosity. The taiyoukai never got annoyed, in fact he thought the girl was adorable. Just like Rin, he is such an active energetic kid. He places his right hand on top of the boy's head and strokes gently.

"In a way, only my child will carry my mark. It has nothing to do with bleeding. " Aito's concentration in listening amazes the demon lord. He nods that he understood and lowers his head to look on his own laps. Sesshoumaru thinks that this might be the perfect time for him to ask few things to the kid.

"Where is your father?" Aito's head snaps up and looks at the taiyoukai with a gloomy expression. His sunset eyes turn watery and he sniffs heavily, allowing no tears to discharge from his eyes.

"Aito never met father. I don't even know how he looks like." The boy is melancholic in his tone. It sounds like there is huge lump in his throat. Sesshoumaru frowns in doubt.

"Have you ever inquired with your mother about this?" The demon lord asks in concern.

"Yes, I do. Mother said father is watching over us all the time. He just... couldn't come and see us all the time." The boy's sadden tone has increased. This time his voice is rather shaky. _Of course I will be watching Rin all the time, but if I knew I had a son I will not let them wander around. They should be taken to my fortress and live a life without hardships._ The demon lord thinks in his mind.

"Do you hate your father?" The taiyoukai's question makes the boy's hands turn into a small fist as he grabs onto his hakama. A moment of silent falls between them.

"No I don't." And the kid breaks the silence first.

"Why?" The demon lord continues pestering the kid.

"I can never grow up hating my father. Mother will not be happy about it. It is the promise I made and if I break it, mother will be heartbroken and Aito hates to see mother sad" The boy explains as a few tears roll down his chubby cheeks. Sesshoumaru gently wipes the tears off with his claw finger. He doesn't know why he reacted in such a way, perhaps the demon lord feels pity for the kid.

"They said I look weird and no kids wanted to play with me. The villagers always talk something bad about mother, I don't understand what they mean but their comments always made mother cry the whole night. Everyone have their fathers to play with, they always get to learn new things with their father. Mother... she doesn't even have the time to play with me, because she has to work to ensure I get to eat every day." Aito pauses and stands up. He dashes towards the demon lord, wraps his arms around the taiyoukai's waist and cries out loud.

"Why does everyone have a father and I don't? Their mothers always accompany them but my mother has to work and I have to stay in the hut alone for the entire day. I feel terribly lonely and I can't tell mother about this. She will blame herself if she knew I am not happy." The kid tightens the hug as his weeps get louder.

"I just want to be a normal kid. Is that too much to ask?" The kid continues weeping and Sesshoumaru tries hard to soothe Aito by stroking his back with his right hand. What more can the taiyoukai do for the poor kid other than letting him cry his heart out?. Perhaps this is the first time Sesshoumaru's heart has ever felt so much ache and heavy. _Does this mean I have weakened? No it couldn't be. _The taiyoukai thinks as he continues to stroke the back of the kid. He couldn't imagine the kind of life Rin and Aito had to go through in the past 4 years, but for sure it was not a pleasant time. Sesshoumaru clenches his left fist tightly. He let the girl go missing easily from his fortress and took too long to locate her which has caused this much of suffering between the two. _That leopard was right, only he knows everything about that happened to Rin in these 4 years. _Watching the poor kid crying in his arms, the taiyoukai swears that he will sacrifice everything just to see the smiles again on both Rin and Aito.

"It's alright; everything is going to be fine. Soon your mother will have all her time only for you. _And you will have a father to teach you everything that you desire to learn. Soon, very soon._" The demon lord manages to utter the last few sentences in torment. Aito does not hear the words from the taiyoukai. Sesshoumaru doesn't care to repeat it as he wraps his arms around the kid's small body. As much as he hates to surrender something which belongs to him to others, the demon lord thought nothing is important than Rin in his life. If he can abandon Tenseiga and his land for this human girl, he is willing to swallow his pride for that leopard to make Rin and Aito live better lives. If the girl has made her decision then he has no wish to change her mind.

_She needs a man and he needs a father. I have made my decision now._

_

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_

**Chapter end notes:**

I promise to make this a "back to back" update for chapter 8 and 9, but unfortunately something happens and I have to load only 1 chapter. Anyway chapter 9 is there, and shortly when I sort my dilemma, I shall update it. Thanks for reading my story. For those who has reviewed so far...*hugs and *kisses* for you all ^_^

Until then ... take care guys (^_^)


	9. Departure and revelation

**Chapter notes:**

"_Blood is thicker than water. It's drawing them closer without them noticing."_

By: _Taraah36_

* * *

The Lily of the Valley signifies **_"The Return of Happiness"_**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi.**_

* * *

**Chapter 9 – Departure and revelation.**

The clear blue skies of the afternoon are replaced by the intense red and orange hues of the sunset. Soon the moon will emerge and shine in the darkness of nightfall. Rin has completed her work and is about to prepare for leaving. She does not wait for Akemi or Tsuyu because she wishes to have some time alone to think. Wrapping her dinner bento neatly, she moves out from the kitchen and heads home. She walks with a decent pace with her thoughts focused on her lord. _This is it; I owe Lord Sesshoumaru lots of explanations. Since he has found me and he deserves to know the real story._ Rin contemplates but is interrupted by someone who calls out her name.

"Rin wait up!" Tsuyu calls out as she runs to the girl's side.

"Why are you rushing my dear, still not feeling good about what happened this afternoon?" Tsuyu inquires as she wraps her right hand around Rin's waist. Both of them resume their tracks.

"No I just want to go home and rest. A bit tired with the workload today." The girl replies with a light smile.

"Rin, you know, I hope you are not mad at Ryuuki. That man really tries hard to win your heart. He has an eye on you since the night he saved you in the forest. He really loves you." Tsuyu is trying to help the leopard demon but Rin doesn't show much interest.

"I have given him my answer but he does not seem to understand my point. That is why I was frustrated. I know he has saved both mine and Aito's life and I could never pay his debt." Rin sighs in disappointment. Tsuyu watches the girl's reaction, somehow she understands what the girl has on her mind. She is too gives a low sigh. _Young love._ She whispers.

"Rin, what's holding you back?" Tsuyu stares at the girl. Rin bites her lower lips and remains silent. The lady continues. "You still waiting for Aito's father to return?" Rin doesn't reply. Tsuyu sighs heavily. She moves her hands to stroke the girl's hair and pulls a small strand of hair to tuck it behind her left ear.

"You are still young and pretty Rin, you should give yourself more options than to wait for someone who doesn't seem to even care to return. 4 years have passed girl, if he cares for his son and you, he would have come for you by now. Your loyalty will be wasted. Don't you have pity for Aito? That poor kid needs a father and you Rin, you need a man to look after you. I don't want you to work at the Geisha house forever. Please don't waste your time over someone who is not even worth waiting for." Tsuyu tries hard to explain, she really feels pity for the kid. In her view, Ryuuki is the best candidate and has the ability to look after Rin and Aito's well being. Rin stops in her tracks and stares at her own sandals. Her eyes redden and glass over with tears. She has really grown tired of everyone who is trying to help Ryuuki. Their intentions are good, but how could she ever forget the man that she loves with all her heart?

"He cares for me with all his life. I trust no one above him." Tears stream down the girl's cheeks for the second time today as she continues. "He does not know that he has a son and I ran away from him for some reason." Tsuyu's eyes widen with Rin's remarks as she watches the girl weep in pain.

_Meanwhile in the forest:_

Sesshoumaru allows Aito to sleep on his lap after the kid gets tired of crying. The boy has been in deep slumber for the past few hours. The demon lord strokes the kid's head often and it feels like he is watching his own son sleeping. That faint scent of his self still remains as the only link between Aito and the taiyoukai. He could have just asked Rin about the kid but the boy's appearance has trashed his hope to find out the truth. If the kid isn't his son then Rin will have difficulty in explaining the whole thing up. He does not wish to torture the girl mentally and since Aito has gone through quite a lot of hardships already; he has no intention to force the kid to watch his mother weep again and again.

_It's been 4 years Rin. I have been searching you high and low, crossing the 4 continents and here you are with a kid. Is it worth to even find out the real reason behind your disappearance? Do I still care to find out? Yes I do care but I don't think I dare to seek out the truth. If Aito isn't my son, that just shows Rin has betrayed me. Why do I need to prove that the girl I trusted the most has betrayed me? Besides this kid certainly needs more affection than suffering. My departure will be the best option for these two. _

The taiyoukai is determined to leave before the girl returns. Things will be out of control if Rin shows up and Sesshoumaru does not wish to say goodbye to the girl. Never. While the demon lord attempts to wake the kid, Aito murmurs some strange words and he starts to sweat heavily. Sesshoumaru watches the kid struggle. He seems to be having a nightmare. When he tries to listen carefully, the kid is actually calling out for help.

"Don't come closer to me, get away from me!. HELP! HELP!" The taiyoukai watches the kid in panic, he pulls Aito closer to his arm as he tries to wake him up.

"Aito, wake up! It was just a dream. Wake up!" The demon lord voice was ineffective as the kid continues to struggle. His arms are waving as if to push something off while his legs are kicking strongly. Sesshoumaru can do nothing but to keep holding the kid in his arms hoping the boy feels his presence.

~ Start of Aito's dream. ~

"Get away from me, don't come closer!. HELP! Mother! Where are you?" Aito runs as fast as he can but the moth demons catch up with the boy with ease. The group flies past the kid and lands in front of Aito.

"Now where do you think you are going kid? Don't waste our time; you can never escape with such small strength. Give up and be our most tasty meal tonight." The moth leader gloats with his tongue wetting his lips showing his impatience to devour the boy's flesh. Aito's legs are shaking with fear. He turns to another direction in the hopes of finding a clear path to escape but his attempts prove futile as one of the moths flies over and pins the kid down on the soiled grass.

"Now now boy you can't escape, it is futile, PREPARE TO DIE!." The moth wields his sharp claw fingers towards Aito and immediately pushes it in the direction of the kid's heart. The boy shuts his eyes tightly and all of a sudden he feels a heavy object fall on top of his chest. Slowly he parts his eyes open and sees a breathless moth demon with his eyes wide open in shock. Aito quickly pushes the dead body away, trying to spot the surroundings but all he can sight is the frame of a huge white creature standing in front of him. He is amazed, that creature looks like a dog, a huge dog with very fluffy fur and a strong tail. He rises on his feet and is about to walk further to check on the creature but he pauses hearing a voice speaking to him.

"Stand there kid. Do not move." The white creature warns and Aito obeys. In an instant the kid sees the large dog fly up to the sky and attack a moth. Aito has his eyes closed as the confrontation has generated strong gush of wind. When he feels the situation has calmed down, Aito parts his left eye at first to scan the area, followed by the right eye. When he has the place fully in view, the large white dog has landed. Aito runs to the side of the creature.

"Thank you so much for saving my life." Aito stares at the large white dog with a grateful gaze. When the white creature turns and inches his face towards Aito's face, the kid's sunset eyes widen in amazement at the white dog's beautiful appearance. Magenta strips on both cheeks, over the body and legs. But what really catches the kid's attention is the shining blue crescent moon at the top of the dog's temple. Aito is amused at the sight of the white dog, he can swear he has never seen such a beautiful creature in his life. Reaching out with his right hand, Aito gently strokes the magenta strip on the left cheek of the white dog. It is at this moment he feels his body is being shaken by someone and his name is being called out loud again and again.

~end of Aito's dream~

"Aito look at me, can you hear me?" Sesshoumaru shakes the boy's shoulder desperately. The kid slowly parts his eyes open and he sees the same blue crescent in his dream. He does not move, instead he reaches out with his right hand and touches the demon lord's left cheek with his small hand. A small drop of tear forms at the end of the kid's eye. _It is real. The large white dog that always shows up in my dreams and helps me is real! Lord Sesshoumaru looks exactly like that dog. _The taiyoukai stares at the kid, worried. He thought the boy has lost his soul.

"Ai –t..." The boy lunges up and wraps his arms around the demon lord's neck before Sesshoumaru manages to complete his sentence. The taiyoukai has reacted with the same strange gesture again. He is stroking the back of the kid as if he is trying to soothe the boy who is now trembling in fear.

"It is just a dream. No harm came in your way." The demon lord speaks softly into the boy's ear as he tries to make the boy feel better. Aito nods in agreement, recalling the same dream he often had. He used to haunted by this nightmare whenever he was lonely. In his dreams, there were always a group of demons who looked to attack and all the time he was saved by this blue crescent moon large white dog with magenta strips. When Aito told his mom about the strange creature, he was told that large white beautiful dog is their guardian angel and will only exist in his dream. _Mother was lying, Lord Sesshoumaru resembles that guardian angel. I am sure about that. _The kid whispers. The taiyoukai sighs in relief as he senses Aito's heart beat has returned back to normal. If the kid has calmed down then it is the time to leave before Rin reaches home.

"Come, we need to head back now." Sesshoumaru lightly pats on Aito's shoulder as he rises and walks away. The kid follows but stops in his tracks at the side of the green kappa. He bends a little as he moves his face closer to the toad's right ear and shouts out loud.

"Jaken! You will be left behind! " The green toad's eyes pops wide open and he checks the surroundings. His lord is nowhere to be seen but he catches the shadow of the kid speeding into the bushes.

"Damn you kid I will teach you a lesson!" The little kappa grabs his staff as he too flees towards the bushes to catch up with his lord.

Sesshoumaru stops at the river nearby the hut, the place where he and Rin spent time together last night. He observes the surroundings, and is relived that the girl has not returned yet. When the demon lord hears the footsteps of the kid running towards him, he turns and faces the boy. Jaken in his usual clumsy fashion falls and rolls up to his lord's boot when the kid pause in a sudden.

"Aito, you should continue to the hut." The taiyoukai instructs coolly. The startled kid frowns confused. He walks closer to the demon lord's side.

"We will walk together right?" Aito asks with doubt.

"Jaken, we are leaving." That's the only answer from the demon lord as he turns and walks away from the boy. Aito's eyes widen with his mouth gapping. He then runs to the lord's side as he wishes to know the reason for Sesshoumaru's sudden departure. _Did I upset Lord Sesshoumaru? _The kid bits his inner lips as he thinks to himself.

"My lord why are you leaving? You don't want to wait for mother? She will return very soon." Aito's voice is slightly shaky as he tries to control his tears. Sesshoumaru pauses his steps, he does not turn but the kid stops on the lord's left hand side. Jaken is befuddled with his lord's decision. They have been searching for the human girl for this long and yet his lord is leaving this soon. _Weird_ Jaken thinks.

"Please my lord, you have to at least say goodbye to mother, else she will be very upset. Please..." Aito pleads in distress. The demon lord drops to one knee and looks upon the upset boy. Poor kid, his sunset eyes are glassed over with unshed tears. He reaches out his right hand to wrap around Aito's waist and he pulls the kid closer.

"You will promise to obey your mother, and never ever make her angry. You must grow up to be a strong man to protect your mother. Deal?" Sesshoumaru speaks softly as he strokes Aito's head with his left hand.

"No, why do you need to go now? Did I anger you? Or did I say something bad while I was sleeping?" His tears fall uncontrollably and wets his kimono.

"No, it has nothing to do with you. It wa-" Aito steps on Sesshoumaru's lap as he throws his arms around the taiyoukai's neck disallowing the lord to complete his sentence. Aito then buries his face into Sesshoumaru's fluffy and crying overtakes the boy. The demon lord's chest tightens, he can feel the heaviness over his heart. It is awkward as the western lord has never felt this way before in his life. He hardly knows the kid and yet he has an unexplainable connection with the boy. This has to be by far the most difficult departure he has ever faced in his life. If Rin is here the situation will be worse. Tightening his hold around the boy's waist, Sesshoumaru close his eyes and inhales Aito scent for the last time.

"Soon your desired life will be fulfilled and you will have a better life with your mother. Take care" Sesshoumaru reaches up to remove the kid's hands, pulling him away as he catches the kid's aching gaze. _The decision has been made and I have to leave. _The taiyoukai is determined as he rises and turns to leave. Aito watches the shadow of the demon lord and the little toad slowly disappear from his sights.

_Back at the kitchen:_

Rin bids farewell to Tsuyu as she walks rapidly in the direction of the hut. She is so eager to meet the demon lord again. After being separated for this long, she feels so fortunate to be able to chat with her lord again. When she reaches the hut, it is dark and Rin frowns, confused. _They have still not returned? _She thinks as she pushes the door apart. The girl manages to light up a candle on the table and that's when she spots her son at the side of the wooden cabinet. He has his legs drawn up to his chest and his head buried in between his knees.

"Aito? What are you doing here in the darkness?" Rin asks, concerned, as she settles by the side of her son with her right hand touching his shoulder. Her poor son is trembling.

"What's the matter son? Tell me what has happened, do not scare mother. Please look at me my dear Aito." a worried Rin inquires. Aito raises his head up and faces his mother. His eyes are sore red, his cheeks are wet so is his kimono. Rin wonders for how long her son has cried, for she can't seem to spot Sesshoumaru, not even the green kappa.

"Oh my dear, why are you crying so much? Tell me what happened, are the village kids bullying you? Did they insult you?" Rin continues to guess hoping to catch her son's attention.

"Mo-mother, Lord Sesshoumaru... He has left with Jaken." Aito wraps his arms around his mother's waist as he continues to weep. Rin's eyes widen in shock.

"Leaving? Did he tell you why?" She hugs her son tightly with her hand stroking his back to comfort the poor kid.

"Aito don't know, my lord didn't say anything, he just said that I will have the life I desired very soon. I really tried my best to stop Lord Sesshoumaru but I failed to. Mother, I am so sorry. Please forgive me." The kid explains in disappointment while holding his mother as tightly as he can.

"It is fine my son, you are not to blame for Lord Sesshoumaru's departure. I am sure he has things he needs to handle, that is why he needs to leave so soon. Now my dear son, stop crying please." Rin tries to stay calm as Aito only nods. She shifts Aito away slightly and wipes the tears off of his face with her kimono sleeve.

"Good boy. Remember that mother will never be mad at Aito ok? Now come, I bet you must be hungry." Rin forces a light smile as she is about to rise but Aito pulls her hands.

"Mother, I don't feel hungry, can I eat later?" Aito's sorrowful voice has made Rin's heart despondent. She nods as a yes and pulls her son to her arms. He closes his swollen eyes and rests his head beneath her chin. Shortly after, Aito cries himself to sleep. Stroking his head, Rin allows her welled up tears to fall down her cheeks. Her heart feels disappointed, depressed and slightly angry. She has been waiting the whole day, and was so eager to come back home. There are so many things she wishes to tell to Sesshoumaru.

_Lord Sesshoumaru, why are you refusing to give me a chance? I thought we had a promise to talk it over tonight. How could you do this to me my lord? _Rin fists her left hand on the floor hard enough that it makes her knuckle bleed a little. _How can you be so cruel to me my lord? All I was asking for was just to wait for tonight, why are you doing this to me?. You are so heartless my lord._ Rin pauses at this moment, she thinks of the word 'heartless'. Tears stream down uncontrollably, as she tightens her right hand around Aito.

"Who am I to yell 'heartless'? I was the one who left Lord Sesshoumaru without a word." She blames herself softly and thinks this must be some sort of karma due to her own actions in the past. Tightly she shuts her eyes off, with tears still streaming like a brook and wetting her face and kimono, Rin curses herself again for causing so much of pain to her son. She is not surprised with Aito's reaction over Sesshoumaru's sudden departure. In fact, she feels greatly guilty for being such a bad mother. It is the lord's blood flowing in Aito's body that causes him to feel the pain in his heart. It is the bond between them that makes the departure ever more difficult. _ What kind of a mother am I, trying to separating a father and son. _She curses herself with her hand continuing to hit the floor.

"Son, please forgive me, you deserve to be around your father, but I –I have no choice." Tears flow like a stream as she continues to blame herself. Rin buries her face on top of Aito's head as she cries herself to sleep, embracing her precious son in her warm arms.

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**Chapter end notes:**

Ta da! I did this as fast as I could. *phew* I hope you all love this chapter because I really enjoyed writing it. I have completed chapter 10 though, but hardly have time to proof read it yet. I shall try to sort this as soon as I can ^_^

Meanwhile these are the title for my next chapters.

Chapter 10 – Disaster

Chapter 11 – Call for help

Chapter 12- The bond between them

Stay tune guys. And thanks for those who has reviewed my story from the beginning. You guys are awesome! *hugs* and *kisses* for you all. Cheer!


	10. Disaster

**Chapter notes:**

"_If you should ever find someone new, I know he'd better be good to you._

_'Cause if he doesn't I'll be there._

_Whenever you need me, all you need to do is, just call my name, and _

_I'll be there."_

* * *

The Lily of the Valley signifies **_"The Return of Happiness" _**

**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi.**_

* * *

**Chapter 10 - Disaster**

Rin wakes up with the chill sensation over her body. She is shivering and notices Aito still in her arms. He too shivers out of cold. She does not know for how long they have fallen asleep on the floor but considering the chill is getting stronger, the girl assumes that it has to be very early in the morning now and soon dawn will approach. Rin scoops up Aito in her arms and carries her son to the bed. She pulls the blanket and covers her son's freezing body before making her way to the dining table. Watching the bento on the table, she realizes that both she and Aito did not take their dinner last night. They were sad and had completely lost their appetite over the demon lord's sudden departure. Rin moves to the nearby window and slowly parts it open. A light chilly wind hits on her face and she quickly closes it. She manages to catch a glimpse of the surroundings and notices the skies are still dark. There are still a few hours to go before dawn but she just doesn't feel like returning to the bed. She decides to heat up the food and do some cleaning before she wakes Aito up.

Not far away from the river, a dependent Sesshoumaru watches the girl up early at this time. The strong scent of tears caught around the entire hut indicates that Rin and her son might have cried over the night but there is nothing he can do other than to observe from the distance. The fact that he caught the girl awake at this time just shows that she might not have had proper rest last night. He wishes to get to the girl's side and comfort her to sleep but he just couldn't afford to let his emotions to blur his decision. _This is for Rin and Aito's good. _The taiyoukai whispers in self consolation as he sighs and walks away from the river.

Several hours pass and Rin has finished heating the food from the bento and serves it on the table. She has also swept the whole hut, folded some clothes and arranges them neatly inside the wooden wardrobe. Dawn is approaching and Rin decides to wash herself before breakfast. She picks up a new kimono and leaves the hut to the river. She returns in 20mins and finds Aito awake. He sits at the edge of the bed with his legs drawn up to his chest. His long face is resting in between his knee. Poor kid, he is still trying to overcome the sadness. A concerned Rin sets her dirty kimono aside and sits next to her son. She places her hand on top of Aito's head and strokes gently to comfort the boy.

"Son, do you feel hungry?" Rin asks out of concern. Aito does not turn to his mother, instead he sighs and sniffs. The girl watches her son gesture painfully as she slightly lowers her body to give her son a tight hug to comfort the poor kid.

"My dear prince, your loyal mother is worried, can you speak to her? Please?" The girl pleads as she watches her son tilt his chin and face her with a pair of sore sunset eyes. Rin kisses Aito's forehead as she releases the hug and rubs his lower eye lids gently.

"Aww look at this, you have turned into a little cute panda my son. You must stop weeping my dear." Rin tries creating a little humorous conversation but her son does not respond. Instead he raises both of his hands and touches his mother's upper cheek.

"Mother you have sore eyes too, you must stop crying as well. I promise I will not weep anymore." Rin is shocked with her son's reply but is glad that he has finally spoken. She smiles in relief.

"Yes we will stops crying, I am sure Lord Sesshoumaru does not want to make us unhappy with his leaving. We should move on with our life. Come you need to wash your face and we will have breakfast together." Rin lightly taps on her son's shoulder as they both walk towards the river. Soon as they return, they finish the breakfast without words, both are trying hard to adjust to this new feeling and Rin feels so reluctant to leave her son at this stage. She decides to take a day off tomorrow and perhaps they can visit Kagome's village. Things will get better if Aito could spend some time and play with Inuyasha's kids. After ensuring her son feels slightly better, she hugs Aito and bids farewell as she leaves for work. Her pace is slow and her heart is heavy thinking how could things change so much in one day. Just day before yesterday her lord was here and the three of them were having dinner together. It was just yesterday the demon lord sent her to the geisha house. Today, she has her meal only with her son and walks alone to the kitchen. Of course things have just returned to their usual routine, but she never imagined having Sesshoumaru around could have brought so much of joy to her and Aito. Rin stops in her tracks as she stares up to the clear blue heavens, a small tear is visible at the edge of her eyes. _I wonder where Lord Sesshoumaru is right now. Did he return to the western fortress already?_ The girl ponders painfully as she shuts her eyes tightly, allowing the forbidden tears to wet her cheeks. She does not keep her promise to Aito.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I will pray for your well being and success wherever you are." She whispers softly and wipes off her tears before resuming her walk to the geisha house.

Rin remains silent the whole time in the kitchen. She does not feel like talking to anyone with her unfocused mind. Both Akemi and Tsuyu exchange their curiosity a couple of times, while Tsuyu thinks the girl is still disturbed with the Ryuuki incident, while Akemi strongly senses it has to do with Sesshoumaru. None of them wish to bother the girl at this time as they plan to talk with her by lunch break.

Lunch time is here, Rin takes her lunch box and leaves the kitchen before Akemi manages to speak to her. She searches around the surroundings and fails to locate the girl. When she is about to return to the kitchen, she spots lady Onna, the owner of the geisha house having a confrontation with 2 men outside of the geisha house entrance. Slowly she steps carefully to the nearby wall and eavesdrops on the conversation.

"You fool! You don't even have a girl that is not so stretched out? Am getting tired with this rubbish every night! I want some fresh girl stupid!" Arashi yells at Onna as he pushes Tamako on the floor, one of the geisha who has been working there for a few years. Kaoru, his younger brother is standing next to him and laughs evilly at the sight of the girl falling like a mess on the floor.

"Oh am sorry master Arashi, our dearest Tamako has upset you last night, but rest assured that you will have plenty of fun tonight with our popular girl, Nanase." Onna replies in a rather flirty tone as she places her hands over Arashi's shoulder and smirks playfully. Akemi almost pukes with the old woman's behavior but pitied Tamako who is still on the floor.

"Nanase you said? Another worn out bitch! Give me a break Onna, seriously, have you ever thought to get some new girls to this house? I have grown tired with those wrinkled old women. Don't expect me to show up at this house anymore!" Arashi steps away from Onna but she moves ahead and tries to stop the duo.

"Oh come on master, give me another chance, I shall specifically arrange a new girl to satisfy your hunger _ne_?" The old lady continues her flirt which totally turns Arashi off. He pushes Onna's hands away violently which causes her to fall on the floor right next to Tamako.

"Don't waste my money on these stupid ugly bitches." Arashi slams Onna as he turns and walks away with his brother following closely. Onna continues to plead with her most precious customer but neither of the duo cares to bother with what the old lady has to say. Akemi quickly hides herself upon seeing the 2 nasty men head in her direction. She is trembling in fear. When both Arashi and Kaoru passes her, she sighs in relief. _They are for sure insulting women openly. I better tell Tsuyu san about this._ Akemi whispers as she turns and walks back to the kitchen with her quivering knees.

"That old Onna is really getting on my nerves." Arashi stops in his tracks as he turns to face his brother with a furious look. Kaoru pats on his brother's left shoulder to calm him down a bit.

"Come on bro, I am sure we will get another better house than this, do not waste your time being angry at this old lady. Come let's see what we can find in the next village." Arashi nods, his brother is right, they have spent way too much cash over something which is not even worth the price. He makes an irritate glance over the geisha house and spits on the floor before turning away. Just when he turned, he feels something crash into his chest. He is pushed backward a bit but hears someone fall on the grass.

"Ouch!" Rin rubs her forehead desperately. She is too lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice someone approach from the opposite direction head on. When she pulls her hand away from her forehead, her eyes catch the sight of two strong men. Quickly she rises and kneels in front of them to apologize.

"I am truly sorry sir; I did not pay attention with my walking. Please forgive me." Arashi stares interestingly at the girl, he is almost unable to find a word to respond. He is too busy to scanning the girl from head to toe with an evil grin. Kaoru knows well his brother is showing a strong interest in the girl, he steps to his brother's side and stares at Rin.

"Oh it is fine girl; he should be the one to watch his steps. Are you hurt?" Kaoru drops to one knee as he takes a closer look at the girl. _Beautiful!_ Rin feels uneasy with the way these two men are looking at her; she shakes her head to indicate she is fine. She then rises on her feet and bows before turning to leave. It is Arashi who starts to call out for the girl to stop her in her tracks.

"Oh hey young girl, where are you heading to? As far as I know there are no villages in the direction you are heading to." Rin turns and stares curiously as to why this man seems to be interested in where she will go.

"I am going back to work." She replies calmly but the expression she catches on the brother's face startles her. The evil smiles they are exchanging between themselves has somehow frightens Rin. Knowing well that staying around longer might not be a wise idea, Rin prepares to leave but hears her name being called.

"Rin what are you doing there? Hurry or you will be late." Tsuyu shouts not far away from where she stood.

"Coming!" Rin exclaims as she lowers her body to make a small bow to the brothers before running up to join Tsuyu. Arashi's eyes are fixed on Rin all the way until her shadow disappears. He is truly enjoying the sight of the young girl and wishes badly to have her in his arms to feed his heart's desire.

"So looks like we can afford to trust Onna another time, isn't it brother?" Kaoru smirks at the thought of the girl's face.

"Definitely, we will be back later in the evening. Oh young girl, you will submit to me tonight. I will make sure of that." Arashi laughs whole heartedly with his mind full of lustful designs.

.

Back to the kitchen, Rin pants heavily and tries to catch her breath. She feels relived to be able to escape from those weird men all thanks to Tsuyu's timely intervention.

"Thanks Tsuyu san, I may not be able to escape without you." Rin smiles a little at the lady while still trying to catch her breath. Tsuyu shakes her head at the girl's condition.

"You should not be off somewhere alone, you know well what kind of place this geisha house is, and so next time tell someone before you go anywhere. Akemi and I are so worried about you." Tsuyu speaks out of concern. She is not mad at Rin but more worried about her safety. Rin nods in agreement as she knows what kind of troubles she met with earlier.

"I am sorry Tsuyu san." She bows slightly. The lady pats on Rin's shoulder indicating apology accepted. They both exchange smiles and continue on with their work.

When the blue cloudless skies are replaced by the orange mixed red heavens, the geisha house begins to fill with lots of customers. Some are from the nearby villages but mostly this house is actively visited by outsiders. There are demons that stop by as well, but not much compared to humans. Arashi and Karou show up in time just when the place starts operating. Lady Onna welcomes the brothers happily and guides them to the usual premiere room. They are the regular customers of this house who are willing to pay high amounts for any lady who could keep them well satisfied for entire night. This explains to why Onna was so heart broken earlier when the duo insisted not to come back. Once sake is serving to the brothers, Onna approaches her valuable customers and tries to make up for what has happened in the afternoon.

"Oh master, I am so glad you have returned. Thanks for having faith in me, I shall assign the best lady just for you two, give me a moment." Arashi interrupts before Onna calls out the lady's name who would have waited outside the room.

"So I heard you have got a new girl, and I happen to bounce with one earlier today. She is young, pretty and very fresh looking. You are doing a great job though. Now bring her to me." Arashi takes a sip of the _sake_ the moment he finishes his words. Onna frowns, she does have a couple of new girls but they never come to the house until evening. Besides, those girls are not really young, they are more in 25 years old range.

"Ah ha, which lucky girl has captured the heart of master Arashi, if you have her name?" Onna is slightly teasing as she tries to not upset her precious customer. Kaoru shoots an annoying look at the lady, she should know well which new lady she has brought to geisha house.

"Don't be so stupid Onna, you don't even know which young girl you have here? Don't waste our time; bring the young girl here now!" He snarles at Onna, who is now trembling in fear. She has no idea which lady they are talking about.

"Come on Kaoru, spare the lady, she has grown old that her brain might have started to rust." Arashi laughs loudly and continues. "We want Rin to be here tonight, that young girl has stolen my heart since afternoon. I can't wait to touch her smooth skin. She will keep both of us entertained for tonight. I will pay big bucks for her." Now Onna is really hit with a huge trouble. _Rin? The girl who work as kitchen helper? Who was brought by Tsuyu here a year ago? _Sweat drops from the left side of her face, she has no idea how these brothers have encountered Rin, but on top of that she can never ask a kitchen helper to be a geisha. With her voice slight shaky, Onna tries to explain about the girl.

"Rin you mention? Errr I am afraid to inform you that, she works here as a kitchen helper not a geisha. Oh and why not just try out the new girl I have selected earlier? I am sure she will please you both." Onna rises on her feet as she is about to call the geisha in but Arashi slams his fist on the table hard enough to make the _sake_ bottle drop to the floor.

"WHAT THE HELL? I have been waiting the entire afternoon and you tell me she does not work as a geisha? Bring her here and I will make her a geisha tonight!" Arashi shouts out loud which makes Onna's knees weak and kneel instantly in front of the brothers.

"Sorry master, I can never force her to be a geisha, she has to do it on her own willingness. Beside, this poor girl only works for her son's meal, she has a tough life and I hope you both can spare her for my sake. Please master." Onna pleads in fear; she certainly wishes no harm will come to the girl. Tsuyu has told her about Rin's life and personally she felt pity for the girl. Although many would think Onna is a bad lady since she runs this sort of dirty business, but she never ever forced anyone to do anything against their wish.

"Damn you old lady! How dare you go against my wish!" Arashi is about to raise his hand to beat poor Onna but Kaoru catches his brother's arm. He shakes his head slightly to signal Arashi to calm down. Reluctantly, Arashi is back to his seat and crosses his arms around his chest. He turns away from the lady and hisses.

"Alright now go and get us some new _sake,_ we don't want to have any geisha for now. Be sure to bring the sake by yourself. Be gone!" Onna feels relief to hear that as she rises and nods she understands and bows before she turns to leave. Arashi narrows his eyes in annoyance at his younger brother.

"What's wrong with you Kaoru? I didn't know you have such a kind heart. Trying to be gentlemen?" His brother smirks evilly followed by a loud laugh.

"I have a better plan, bro! Trust me; you will not be upset tonight. All we need to do is, take as much of _sake_ as we can to warm our body up and build the mood. Soon we will be very busy with the girl." Arashi stares in confusion but does not question his brother. He knows well his brother is cunning enough to come up with a great plan. He doesn't even bother about what the plan will be, for all he wants now is the girl named Rin.

When Rin reaches home, she finds Aito missing. He is nowhere in-sight in the small hut. Quickly, she leaves the hut and searches the surroundings and finds her son by the river bank. She rushes to Aito and sits beside him. He stares blankly at the river; only god knows what is on her poor son's mind.

"Son, what are you doing here?" Rin asks in concern, her heart aching, depressed at the sight of her son. _Poor child, he is still unable to accept Sesshoumaru's departure._ A moment of silence falls between them.

"Yesterday, Lord Sesshoumaru bid farewell here. I hug him tightly to stop him but he just walked away." A small tear drop is spotted at the corner end of the kid's eyes. Rin bits her inner lips as she watches her son struggle to fight his emotions. Blood is definitely thicker than water, it draws them closer without realizing the bond tied between them. She strokes the back of Aito's head and draws him closer to her arms.

"Son, Lord Sesshoumaru has his own life too. We can't be so selfish to keep him with us for long right? Be a good boy, now let's go back and eat." Rin hugs her son and kisses him on his left cheek.

"Mother, I don't feel hungry, can I skip the dinner?" The kid asks in a rather dull tone. Rin sighs discouraged, her son's appetite has completely gone. She can not afford to let Aito go on like this. Something has to be done.

"Oh, so you do not wish to have your dinner huh? Then we shall cancel the trip tomorrow." Aito's head snaps up instantly to face his mother with curious eyes.

"Trip? Mother you are not working tomorrow?" The boy asks excitedly.

"Yes, Tsuyu san allowed me to take a day off, but looks like it has no use now." Rin purposely looks away. Aito steps up and kneels on his mother laps.

"Mother, why cancel the trip? I want to go for a walk. Please..." Rin catches her son's pleading cute face. She is trying to hold back her laughter.

"But we need to walk a lot tomorrow, if you skip your meal now, you probably won't have enough energy for the trip. Because... "Rin stares at her son's eager face that is waiting to hear about the trip. She then continues. "I plan to visit lady Kaede tomorrow."

"HOORAY! We will go to the miko hut! I miss Taku and Neko so much!" Aito dances merrily and circles around her mother. Rin chuckles at her son's reaction, perhaps the decision to go away for a day might help to distract him from the painful incident last night. Besides, she really misses Kagome and Sango.

"So are you still wishing to skip the dinner my dear?" Rin teases her son. Aito stop his movements and runs to his mother, he then circles his arms around her neck.

"All of sudden I feel so hungry now! Let's go mother, we need to eat and sleep early." Rin laughs at her son's statement, she then scoops Aito up in her arms and walks back to the hut. Both of them finish their dinner as how they used to normally. Rin is really pleased to see Aito's chatty mood return, he talks about what he is going to get for Neko and Taku in the entire dinner. She also promises to stop by the nearby village to get some gifts for Kagome's kids. Once they are done cleaning the table, Rin rests on the bed while Aito sneaks into her warm arms. She cuddles her precious son and kisses on the top of his head. A short silence falls before Aito speaks.

"Mother, do you still remember the strange dream I used to have?"

Rin smiles slightly and answers."Yes my dear, do you still have the dream these days?" Aito does not answer. He recalls the day he had the nightmare in the forest and woke up in Sesshoumaru's arms. The comfortable feeling being around with the demon lord has started kicking in his memory now. The strange thing is, he feels like the taiyoukai is the one who has been watching over him all the time. He grabs Rin's right hand and places it on his chest.

"Mother, th- the guardian angel, who seems to rescue me all the time in my dreams, resembles Lord Sesshoumaru. The crescent moon and the magenta strips are exactly the same I saw in my dreams." Rin is silent, she does not wish to tell her son about Sesshoumaru's true form. All the time she just explains to him that he is watched by this strange dog, his guardian angel.

"Ya, mother thinks the same too." That's the only answer from Rin. Aito is puzzled in his own thoughts. _If Lord Sesshoumaru is truly the guardian angel in my dream, I wonder will he always be watching over me. I really miss him._ The kid thinks to himself painfully.

"Come on son, is time to get some sleep, we will be off to miko hut tomorrow morning." Aito nods happily. When he is about to close his eyes and sleep, he hears the door of the hut being pushed open violently. He turns and spots two tall men standing at the door. Rin gasps, she instantly leaves the bed and walks a bit closer and finds out they are the same guys she saw earlier in the afternoon. She remembers that entire scary gaze from the men but is shocked as to how they know she lives here.

"Wh-what are you guys doing here?" Her shaky voice tells the brothers that she is afraid. This paints a satisfying smile on their face.

"We have taken too much time to hunt you my young lady. The information was quite accurate isn't it bro?" Kaoru pats on his brother's shoulder, who is now admiring the girl's figure.

"My, my, she sure is a pretty one..." Arashi drools as he stares at the width of her chest and her soft skin. A fear shoots through Rin's body with the nasty comment. _Oh no, not again._ She whispers in fear. Aito hides at the back of his mother.

"Brother get the kid and you will get to go next." Arashi instructs firmly. Kaoru instantly runs to Rin's side and pulls Aito's arm. In a second, he presses a blade to the kid's throat, immobilizing the boy. Rin panics, she knows they will use Aito to threaten her, but has acted too late to protect her son. _Damn it!_

"Girl you have to make a choice now. Do you want me to slit his throat or you strip your cloth?" Arashi smirk evilly as Rin's eyes widen with the horrible choice.

"Don't hurt my son! He is innocent, please!" She attempts to plead although she knows it will be futile.

"Awwww you have quite a weird son isn't it? Now now, what will he feel when my sharp blade pierces through your little boy's neck? You better hurry and decide young lady as I am itchy to kill the kid here." Kaoru press the blade against Aito's flesh and Rin spot some blood is forming.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO..." She wails with tears streaming down her cheeks. Arashi's patience wears thin. He steps closer to Rin and shouts.

"Strip or slit?"

* * *

**Chapter end notes:**

Dear readers,

I am so sorry for taking this long to update my story. December use to be a busy month though, it doesn't matter in which fields you are working in because we need to settle all the 2010 unfinished works and make a way for the year of 2011. I was overloaded with plenty of unfinished reports and therefore I did not have the extra time to review my chapters. I sincerely apologize .

But as I said earlier, I have written up to chapter 12 and I just need some times to review it before publish. Things would have been easier though, if my beta reader is around. But poor guy, he needs to have a break as well. So I shall handle this on my own until he returns. So, cliff for this chapter and there will be no cliff for chapter 11. In the next chapter, we will get to see some action from Aito, well, he is not going to involves in any fight though but there will be something about him that you'll wish to see. So stay tune with me, as I have only few more pages to check on chapter 11.

Thank you for all your story alert + favorite subscriptions. Trust me, it mean a lot to me and for those who have been reviewing my story, *big hugs* for you all. An author will not be success without the reviewers.

p/s – Recently, I have read a lot of interesting stories over ( thanks to Taraah36 ) There are plenty of fabulous stories these day, so you see how am I going to adjust the times between, writing, reading and working? LOL so 1 day should have 48 hours instead of 24 LOL (Am I right Taraah? LMAO! ) Anyway, if you wish to know which stories i was referring to, check on my favorite stories list.

Enough with my rant, and in case you don't hear form me before the days pass. Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all my lovely readers. Cheer!


	11. A call for help

**Chapter notes: **

"_Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter _

_Togetherness is all I'm after _

_Whenever you need me _

_I'll be there_

_To protect you with an unselfish love _

_And I'll respect you. Just call my name and I'll be there"_

* * *

The Lily of the Valley signifies **_"The Return of Happiness"_**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi.**_

* * *

**Chapter 11 – A call for help**

Rin is under trauma, due to her weakness, her son's life is threatened once again. She is confident Aito can be safe, if she could figure out a way to make her son escape. But the question is how is she going to do it? Physically, she can never beat these two men but mentally she might have the upper hand. Looking at the brother's evil grin tinged with lust, Rin's stomach rolls in fear, imagining what kind fate lies ahead for her.

Arashi, no longer wishes to wait, lust covers his mind and all he wants is pleasure. He turns angrily to his brother and shouts out loud.

"Slit the boy!" Rin eyes almost pops out with the comment, she instantly drops to her knees and starts begging. There is no time to think anymore and she needs to act fast in order to save her son. She is willing to risks everything now.

"I will do what you want, please let my son go. Please! He is innocent." Tears stream down and wets her cheeks. Arashi laughs mischievously at the girl.

"Now strip!" Yells Kaoru, who is also waiting impatiently. Rin rises and slowly pushes her kimono apart to reveals her shoulder. The brothers watch with unblinking eyes at the sight of the girl slowly undressing. At the same time, Rin's eyes constantly rolls from left to right signaling her son to escape. While the brothers stare with their mouths watering, when her kimono slowly drops to the elbow level, slightly exposing her breast to the awaiting pairs of lustful eyes; the smart boy nods discretely, knowing this is the best time to attack, lowering his head, he bares his teeth and sinks them into Kaoru's left arm. The man lets out a loud scream from the sharp pain, bringing him back to reality as the grip around the kid loosens which allows Aito to flee. The kid speeds through the door and immediately runs into the forest without turning back.

"Damn you kid! I will teach you a lesson." Kaoru curses and reluctantly he too disappears into the forest, determined to chase the boy. Arashi startled at the sudden interruption, has given Rin an opportunity to reposition her kimono and grab a knife from the nearby table as she attempts to stab his shoulder but fails. He manages to spot her attack and catches her hand before pushing the girl violently on the floor. The knife slips away from her hand and her head collides with the dining table.

"Bitch! You have wasted far too much time and I will not be generous now. You better pray for your son to be safe. He has upset my brother and I have no guarantee he will be back alive." Arashi walks to the girl, catches her by the neck and lightly tightens his hold. Rin's hands grabs onto his as she tries to loosen the grip.

"My s-son is way smarter than your dumb brother. You should worry about your sibling's life than my son." The girl's insulting words causes the grip around her neck to tighten. She then laughs at the sight of the man in anger.

"Damn you bitch! You're hardly in the position to smile." Arashi slaps Rin's face with other hand and brings her face closer to him. It is at this time Rin spits directly on his face.

"I don't fear you now, my son is safe, and I won't surrender to you. I will fight you now!" Arashi humphs and drops the girl on the floor, she coughs and tries to catch her breath. The spit has definitely bruised his pride, eyeing the girl with furious eyes, he then wipes away the sticky saliva from his face.

"I see that you are looking for some warm up, I shall accept your challenge."

In the forest...

Aito runs as fast as he can, he is supposed to head to the village to get help but his instinct chooses to run into the forests instead. He doesn't know in which direction he has to head to nor even know who to seek for help but all he can do now is keep running. Kaoru manages to catch up with the boy; Aito's sensitive ears picks up the sounds of loud footsteps. He shuts his eyes off and keeps speeding, unfortunately luck isn't on his side. His left foot collides with a fairly large rock, throwing him off balance and falls on the grass. Now his foot is injured and he can no longer run. Kaoru's shadow is visible shortly after, his sword ready in his hands, impatiently to slaughter the kid.

"You fool! You can never escape with such low strength." Kaoru gloats with anger as he continues, "Now prepare to die!" His sword swings in the direction of the boy, Aito shuts his eyes off and shouts out loud.

"LORD SESSHOUMARU!"

Meanwhile, deep inside the forest...

Sesshoumaru jerks up at the sound of his name, but there is no one around except the slumbering toad at the nearby trees. The forest remains quiet, in fact it is oddly silent. It makes the toad's snoring as the only living thing in this forest. The demon lord observes the surroundings efficiently with all his senses, but nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. The helpless little voice that called out his name, sets him on edge. All of a sudden, he feels his lungs are pumping with a lot of air that makes his heart so heavy. The taiyoukai sighs for unknown reasons, he shuts his eyes off and takes in a deep breath. Strange enough, the uneasiness is rising and he starts to feel a little suffocating. He finds his heart growing heavier with each breath he takes in. Unable to cope with the situation anymore, Sesshoumaru rises and walks back in the direction of the human girl's hut. But he stops in his tracks after some good distance away from the green toad. The demon lord is puzzled; just who has this strong mysterious power to control the taiyoukai's mind?. He scans around the forest once again and is still unable to sense even a tiny bit of demonic aura nearby. _Perhaps I think too much? _He thinks to himself, but the fact to have left Rin without a word has certainly made the taiyoukai feel guilty. _Did I make the right decision? Yes, it certainly was, I am doing all of this for Rin and Aito. _But Sesshoumaru starts to get very concerned, this unknown fear and helplessness burrowing his heart might have something to do with Rin. _Did something happen to Rin?_ The demon lord questions in his thoughts, but then again, he thinks about it, there is no way both he and the girl can have such strong connection without marking. The taiyoukai sighs uncharacteristically, trying to stay calm as he collects all the information to figure out what is the message behind these strange feelings. When he tries to return to his original place, it is at this time the helpless voice calls out his name again.

"LORD SESSHOUMARU!"

Sesshoumaru's golden orbs widen; his mind focuses on this particular weak audible voice echoing in his ears.

"AITO!" The taiyoukai exclaims. The voice isn't audible by hearing; it is transferred from a certain distance through some connection and clouding the demon lord's mind. His heart beat races, unsettled and lost. Worry kicking in his nerves, this strange feeling has returned.

"If Aito managed to seek my help through this mystery connection, does this mean he is...," Sesshoumaru lightly shakes his head, this isn't the right time to start contemplating, and he needs to return to the hut and check on them. _If the mild scent of me on the boy is the only thing that keeps us connected, then so be it. _The determined lord leaps into the air to search the direction for where the help is needed.

Jaken, on the other hand ... Was left behind, snoozing in his little sweet dream.

Back to the forest not far away from the hut...

Kaoru's body is pushed to the nearby tree by some kind of force coming from Aito. His back hits hard enough to leave several minor bruises. He turns eyeing angrily in the direction of the boy, unsatisfied for the fact he is beaten, he then rises with sword still in his hand and runs to the kid. But he pauses at the sight of a green light slowly glowing and encircling around the kid's body. Aitos head lowers to the ground; the green light has generated light wind which has send chills to Kaoru's spine.

"Damn you kid; I am not going to fear you!" He walks closer to Aito but this time he stops as he witnesses the glowing green light turn into red flames. Slowly, the boy tilt his chin up, revealing a shining blue crescent moon on his temple followed by the amber red eyes glaring sternly at the man before him. Kaoru's knees weaken, his eyes pops wide when the boy fully faces him, he cannot believe what he is seeing before him, the kid has transformed into a demon. Besides the moon symbol and the red eyes he just saw, he notices the magenta strips appear on the kid's cheeks with the pointed ears looking like an alien. But this is not the reason why the grip over his sword loosens and falls on the grass; it is the sight of the boy baring his sharp fangs and roaring like an angry dog. As Aito raises his right hand with his sharp claw fingers shining in green light and ready to attack, he yells at the man before him who has started urinating in his pants.

"Don't hurt MY MOTHER!"

Kaoru drops to his knees to avoid the kid's claw attacks. Every time Aito launches an attack, his powers reduce evenly. But the man is too afraid to notice such a change around Aito, gradually the red flames circling around the boy slightly lowers. The boy drops to his knees but his red eyes continue glaring with hatred towards the man who is now engrossed in fear. Kaoru crawls away from the kid and slowly gets up on his feet and flees from the spot and yells, "DEMON!"

The word 'demon' is loudly audible to Sesshoumaru's sensitive ears and a very familiar demonic aura is caught around the thick forest. It does not take long for the demon lord to locate the scent's whereabouts, and in a few seconds, a small brightness is spotted. The taiyoukai instantly lands, he notices a light flame circling around Aito's body. He is startled by the boy's appearance, Sesshoumaru's golden eyes widens seeing kid's glowing red eyes, the magenta strips on his cheeks and the pointed ears. Sesshoumaru's heart beats abnormally, he feels like he is looking at his own younger self. The boy resembles him; as he walks closer, his heart almost stops beating at the sight of the shining blue crescent marking on Aito's temple. His jaw drops and freezes; his gaze locks on the immobilized kid in amazement. It is this significant mark that he had sought earlier to confirm the kid's identity, it is this very precious mark that he wished to see to confirm his relation with the human girl. And now, Aito stands proudly before him, revealing his true self to the world that he is the son of the great dog demon of the West. The demonic aura matches his own blood's scent, a fully fledged dog demon he is. _But wait! How could a human deliver a fully fledged demon? And why was I not picking up this scent earlier?_ The query clouds the taiyoukai's mind.

"Aito." His tender voice calls out as he feels like he has found his long lost son. It is the silence that is worrying the demon lord. The flames almost disappear; the demon dog scent also fades along with the magenta strips and the crescent moon. _Strange, how could this happen? _His golden orbs are watching the kid intensely, as the glowing red eyes return to sunset colors, the marking has completely vanished from his face and the pointed ears have returned to normal shape. Aito's eyes shut out as he collapses but Sesshoumaru speeds to his side and manages to hold Aito's weak body in his secure arms.

"Aito, can you hear me?" His soft tone almost becomes a whisper as he cradles the kid closer to his chest. Stroking the boy's temple gently to trace the lost moon.

"Mo-Mother..." The boy murmurs weakly with a shaky voice. His eyes part slowly, but his vision is blurry, he then blinks a few times before attempting to open his eyes again. He sees the crescent moon first, and slowly opens his clear sunset eyes fully and finds the demon lord staring worriedly at him. _My guardian angel, he came for me._ Aito's eyes blurs with unshed tears, he forces himself up and wraps his arms around the taiyoukai's neck like a helpless little pup. Sesshoumaru embraces him securely like a father who vows to protect his child from danger.

"Don't worry, I am here now. Tell me what happened, why are you here and where is your mother?" Aito's head tilts up and remembers his mother is still in danger; he pushes himself slightly away and looks at the demon lord.

"Lord Sesshouamru, you have to save mother, she is still in the hut fighting a man." He pauses for a small cough and continues, "We were about to sleep but these two men stormed into our hut, they took me at knife point to threaten mother. One of these men asked mother to strip or that he would kill me if she refused, PLEASE my lord, you have to be fast, mother is in danger!" The taiyoukai's blood boils in his veins hearing the words 'strip'. No one dares to touch his woman. He scoops up Aito in his arms, turning both of them into a yellow green orb and departs with haste the forest.

Back to the hut...

Arashi grabs the front of Rin's kimono, shaking the girl furiously before throwing her to the other end of the hut. The impact causes her shoulder blades and spine to be bruised. Arashi's boot steps on the girl's ribs. He then kicks hard on her belly, forearms, against her spine and the base of her neck. Rin curls into a ball, with pain shooting up her throat as she begins to cough blood. Sitting on her stomach, he begins to slap her cheeks open handedly, snapping her head back and forth as he vents out his anger. Rin lets out a small scream out of pain and that seems to please him.

"I think we have had enough of the warm up sweetie. It's time for me to claim my reward." He smirks perversely and drags the girl's already injured body to the bed. He pulls the kimono all the way up to her waist line, exposing her legs and lower belly. His face portrays dissatisfaction and hunger. He then climbs on top of the girl, taking her bruised legs and spreading them apart; violently bending her knees to allow him to have better access. Rin can't fight anymore, her beaten body is slowly giving up. She can feel large, rough fingers probing her private regions. Nervousness and terror fills her body as tears flows from her eyes. _It just like last time_ Rin thinks to herself as she knows what is coming next. _He is going to take me._ She clenches her hands around her chest, trying to seek comfort from anywhere. _At least my dear son is safe, well I hope so. _She shuts her eyes off and tries to comfort herself. She can feel the bastard withdrawing one of his hands and opening her folds; he is ready to guide himself into the girl opening with the other hand. Rin turns her head to one side as tears fall uncontrollably from her shut eyes. It is at this time the unbidden name rises to her lips.

_Help me, Sesshoumaru!_

The dirty words coming from Arashi disgusts the girl. She can't bear to hear it anymore and turns her brown eyes full of hatred towards the bastard.

"Bastard! You will rot in hell!" Rin curses. Arashi laughs whole heartedly at the girl's helpless reaction. His mischievous laugh almost makes Rin puke but she responds with insulting grins which turns out as laughter. It puzzles the man before her, he can't think of a reason why she acts this way.

"Damn you bitch; you are hardly in the position to laugh." Arashi bares his teeth in anger, his reaction pleases the girl as she responds with another irritable smile.

"You know what? I have died once and been to hell before. I am still alive though and so I fear no one, especially you." The man stares irately, but it does not make him alter his objective. He returns the same laugh but with more malevolence and impiousness.

"Bring on the hell young lady, now you have tempted me to visit that place." He continues to laugh but soon after it turns into a loud painful squeal. Rin spots the sudden changes on Arashi's face, she then hears a very familiar voice come from behind the back of the man.

"Your wish will be fulfilled as I will send you straight into the depths of Hell!"

Rin gasps, as she knows the owner of that calm and deadly voice.

* * *

**Chapter end notes:**

Hey guys, Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you guys have an enjoyable day. My Christmas Eve was a mess though LOL and then I spend my entire day on Christmas to review this chapter. Also, I have written one Christmas edition story about Sesshy/Rin and Aito. Is a one shot story though, some 4 pages maximum. I don't know whether I should post it, since I know in feudal era, they don't celebrate Christmas right? But then again the idea of Christmas came to me because, Kagome is there. So I don't know what should I do, shall I post it? Anyway feel free to advice me and I shall follow the majority.

So no cliff for this chapter as I promise. And the next chapter will have a little violence scene, which I keep it under the 'T' rates. It has nothing to do with rape scene because Rin is safe; it will be some killing scene.

So, until then, see ya everyone and Cheer! Have a nice day.

In case you didn't hear from me before 1st January 2011.

"Happy New Year"


	12. The revenge

**Chapter notes:**

"_Revenge is a confession of pain"_

* * *

The Lily of the Valley signifies **_"The Return of Happiness"_**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi.**_

* * *

**Chapter 12 – The revenge**

The laughter from Arashi turns into a blood curdling scream of his own. His face looks as though he has just seen a ghost. His head is grabbed by something from behind and is twisted into an awkward shape. The next thing Rin sees is a sword's tip erupting from the abdomen of the vile bastard. Rin gasps at the sight of her assailant being destroyed before her very eyes.

Blood splatters on the walls not her own but that of Arashi. The sword then lifts the wiggling body of Arshi and tosses it to the corner of the house like a rag doll. Rin is momentarily blinded by the brilliant shine coming off the sword in the moonlight as its owner places it back into the holster in one swift motion.

Rin can see the silhouette of a tall figure who owns the sword that just saved her dignity and probably her life. The person steps forward and Rin's hazelnut eyes widen with unshed tears as the full frame of the person comes into clear view. She knew it! It is Lord Sesshoumaru.

The worried taiyoukai moves quickly to the side of the bed and checks on the girl. _Terrible_ is the only word that can describe the sight of his wounded Rin. He pulls the kimono all the way down to her knees and slowly helps her to rise to a sitting position. Rin's widened hazelnut eyes are fixed on Sesshoumaru's concerned face. She then sniffs a little as tears start falling down her bruised cheeks and her body is shivering in the cold of night.

"I am here now Rin, no harm will come in your way." The taiyoukai uses his claw finger to shed her tears away before genuinely smiling to the girl. Rin pushes herself to the demon lord and buries her face on his right shoulder on top of the fluffy. She wishes to wrap her arms around his neck, but find its too painful to move her injured limbs. The girl believes she may be suffering from several minor bone fractures after being beaten heavily by the now slain bastard.

Sesshoumaru strokes her back gently to soothe the girl and constantly is whispering 'it's alright now' into her ears. He manages to calm the girl down as her weeping has reduced. The demon lord then slowly pushes her body a bit to look at her wounded face. Rin shadows her eyes behind her bangs, hiding any possible trace of pain. The demon lord pulls a few strands of hair to the side of her head as he places a light kiss on her bruised temple.

"Ho-ow did you..." Sesshoumaru places his finger on her lips before she is able to continue on.

"It doesn't matter, you are safe now and it's all that matters." His finger lightly presses on her bruised lip as Rin relaxes under her lord's touch. Suddenly the girl jerks up with the thought of her son.

"Oh! No Aito, he had fled into the forest, there was another man chasing after him, my lord you need to be quick and save him now!" Rin struggles to find a comfortable position as she tries to get out of the bed. The taiyoukai's arms locks around her waist, gently pulling her back to the bed.

"He is fine, I found him in the forest and I saw no one around at that time. I guess the guy escaped for some reason." The demon lord's replies have relieved the girl a lot. She is now resting her back at the corner of the bed with the help from her lord.

Out of his peripheral vision Sesshoumaru catches Arahshi crawling his way back towards where Rin is resting on the bed. Arashi is trying to get to the girl in one last ditch attempt to cause any harm before meeting his inevitable doom. It is at this moment Aito shows up at the entrance of the hut and spots the man's attempts. He comes over observing the struggling vile human as if he was the hunter observing his prey Arashi. Arashi's blood blinded eyes are unable to focus where Rin is laying. His only barely mobile hand sways in the air reaching for something to grab on to. Aito runs to bastard's side and slowly steps on that palm. Arashi cries out in agony. The kid then jumps merrily a few times more on the crumpled hand. Arashi's body wiggles a bit more and then stays still, lifeless

"You stupid ugly man, don't ever hurt my mother again!" Rin jerks up at the sound of her precious son. She turns slightly to her right hand side and looks over from the demon lord's shoulder.

"Aito!" Rin exclaims in happiness and relief to see her son uninjured.

"Mother!" The boy cries out as he runs to the duo and Sesshoumaru instantly lifts the kid up and places him on the bed. Aito weeps heavily at the sight of his mother's injured form. His small hands clenches into a fist and he hits on the bed several times.

"I failed to protect mother, I let them beat you badly. Aito is such a useless person." The kid continues punching his fist on the bed. Rin's heart is despondent at her son's reaction, she tries to reach out for her son but her painful limbs do not want to co operate. Sesshoumaru places his right hand on Aito's fists and gently pats on the boy's head with his left hand. The boy looks up with his watery sunset eyes.

"You have done a great job to remain unharmed and this is the greatest thing your mother could have asked for. Aito is never useless, in fact you are the smartest kid I had ever met in my life." The kid watches the demon lord in awe. No one has ever praised him before and this is by far the best compliment he has ever received. Aito straightens his back with pride as he smiles and nods happily while wiping his tears away with his sleeves. He then moves closer to Rin and stretches out his right hand to touch her bruised cheek.

"Mother, is it painful?" The boy concerned over his mother's condition. Rin manages a light smile as she slightly shakes her head to mean 'no'. Her smile doesn't convince the kid but he remains silent and turns to look at Arashi's lifeless body on the floor with hatred.

"I wish to have the power to revive this evil ugly man and slowly torment him to death." Aito sighs with frustration. Rin is astonished by her son's comments but the taiyoukai seems to be pleased with the brilliant idea. He then pulls the blanket up to the girl's waistline to cover her trembling body before lowering his body and moving his face closer to her right ear.

"I will be back shortly" Sesshoumaru whispers softly. He then moves to Arashi's side and drags the lifeless corpse out into the forests. Aito frowns as he observes the demon lord's actions curiously. Unable to figure out the taiyoukai's motives, he jumps onto the floor and follows Sesshoumaru closely behind.

_In the forest:_

Placing the corpse before him Sesshoumaru wields his sword the Tenseiga and revives Arashi back to life.

Arashi doesn't realize where he is at first and then sees the frame of the tall white demon and flees. The western lord allows the coward a head start. Arashi runs as fast he can deep into the forests and then hides behind a large girth tree trunk. He pants as he tries to catch his breath. He smugly smiles _Hehe I have outrun the foolish demon_ He breathes in heavily still trying to catch his breath _He should have killed me when he had the chance, I will come back for the little bitch_ _when the time is right_. He jinks to look behind to check if he was followed and smiles again sensing victory in his escape.

Just as he steps forward to disappear into the obscurity of the forests, he hears the same terrifying but calm voice from behind "You weren't even close to getting away puny human" Sesshoumaru wields his sword Bakusaiga and in one swift stroke he slices towards Arashi's neck.

Arashi facial expression is one of a sudden stroke, his eyes popping wide, temples trembling and his knees quivering. At first look, quiet where the blow landed from the sword is not apparent. He falls to his knees but still no sign of where he received the blindingly fast blow from the sword.

A moment later Arsashi's left eye and part of the nose and left cheek slides off of the main head still attached to the neck. He got the blow straight to the head. Blood jets out of the exposed cranium and part of Arashi's tongue still spasms. Aito catches up with Sesshaoumaru and the obliterated body of Arashi. Seeing the last bit of life in the wiggling tongue, Aito coolly stamps on it and crushes it against the earth.

The arrogant and evilly heartless Arashi is butchered by the Father and son demons. So much for all the pride and gloating before when he was with a helpless Rin.

Sesshoumaru growls and declares "Anyone who tries to harm my Rin and Aito will suffer a fate far worse than this one, I think I have been a bit too conservative here" The demon lord turns to head back to the hut.

"Let us go Aito let the animals feast on the remains" The kid nods as he follows the taiyoukai closely.

Not far away Koaru watches the whole scene from behind a tree trunk, shivering in fear and his eyes are wide open in disbelief. He flees the scene with whatever energy he has left.

As soon the due leave, menacing growls are heard from within the depths or the forests. The wild animals are closing in, to feast on the fresh kill.

* * *

**Chapter end notes:**

Hey guys, I end up writing chapter 12 way toooo long that I have to split it into 2 chapters. So the first part will become 'The revenge' and the next one will be chapter 13 – 'The bond between them'

Hope you guys enjoy this little revenge from Sesshouaru + Aito LOL ... tells me what you think about the scene.

Anyway, I am reviewing the chapter 13 now. I really love to write chapter 13 and I am so can't wait to publish it.

Until then see you guys real soon and oh remember about the Christmas tale I mentioned before? **~ Home Bound ~** is the title of the story. If you guys interested, search under my profile and read it. Tell me what you think about it ok? ^_^

Until then,

Take care and cheer!

* * *

**Anonymous reviews reply :**

Nicole ~

**Author reply :**

_Awww thank you for our review, it means a lot to me. Yes I have published my Christmas tale, hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think about the story. (^_^) Stay tune and cheer!_

* * *

~ new at this ~

**Author reply :**

_Thank you for your awesome compliment. I am still new in the world of writing, so there are still plenty of things I need to learn. But I will try my best to end this tale nicely. Your comments means a lot to me (^_^) Cheer! and stay tune._

* * *

~ songhamitra ~

**Author reply :**

_Happy New Year, and thanks for following my story. I will update as soon as I can. (^_^) Stay tune dear._


	13. The bond between them

**Chapter notes:**

"_Love is the bond of perfection."_

* * *

The Lily of the Valley signifies **_"The Return of Happiness"_**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi.**_

* * *

**Chapter 13 – The bond between them**

Rin is unable to rest peacefully. Her whole body is paining, be it on her arms, her chest, her legs or her face, there is no place she could feels no ache. She feels uncomfortable and sticky since her torn kimono is soaked with blood. Her jaw trembles as the girl begins to shiver in cold. The thin blanket she owns proves it isn't much of help at this moment. Since the feeling of discomfort is increasing, Rin starts to weep silently from within her heart. Tears wet her already bruised face as the girl whispers softly. _Lord Sesshoumaru._

The taiyoukai and the kid were gone for quite some time. Rin is starting to get worried. She decides to search for them in the forest. The girl slowly pushes the blanket to the side as she attempts to move her injured legs down to the floor. She tries to hold the edge of the bed and stand up; unfortunately she loses her balance as her legs are weak. She fails to balance her body and falls on the floor. The impact is hard enough that it causes her wounds to start bleeding again. Rin is unable to hold her pain anymore as she cries out.

Sesshoumaru picks up the scent of Rin's blood and the voice of the girl's cries in pain. He speeds into the hut and finds that the girl is on the floor with her right hand pressing on the floor trying to stand up with whatever of her little stamina that remains. The demon lord instantly hurries to her side and cradles her against his chest. Aito who has just stepped into the hut instantly kneels closely beside the taiyoukai to check on his mother. The sight of his mother bleeding is tormenting the boy's heart. He sniffs several times and weeps in pain.

"Rin, what are you doing? I told you to rest on the bed." Sesshoumaru inquires in concern while checking the wounds all over her body.

"I was worried about you guys beside I-I co-couldn't rest, my body is paining and its freezing over here. I just don't know what to do. I just want to see you." Rin's voice is rather weak and shak, this sight torments the taiyoukai's heart. Her body is cold and she is trembling even under his embrace. Her torn kimono is now fully soaked in blood, Sesshoumaru thinks that the girl needs to be cleaned up and her wounds tended to immediately.

The taitoukai turns and pats on his son's shoulder. Aito looks up with his watery eyes and continues sniffing. The demon lord brushes the tears away from the kid's cheeks with his finger and speaks softly. "Your mother will be fine. Do you wish to help her out?" The boy's eyes widen and incline his head awaiting the demon lord's instruction impatiently.

"Good, now get a new kimono and a dry towel for your mother. We will head to the river and wash away the blood on her body." Aito nods happily as he is finally able to do something for his mother. He rises to his feet quickly and moves to the nearby wooden wardrobe to retrieve the cloth and towel. Sesshoumaru gently gathers Rin into his arms and he carries her to the river with Aito following closely behind.

Once they reach the river bank, the taiyoukai places the girl on the shore and slowly pulls the torn kimono away. Rin grabs on her lord's hands and insists she is able to undress by herself, but Sesshoumaru rejects her idea. He does not want the girl to move too much as it might worsen her bone injury. He continues on to pull the fabric away and the task seems to be quite difficult. The reason is some of the blood on the fabric has slightly dried up and it is sticking onto the girl's skin. He could easily rip off the cloth with his claws but it will be a bit rough and might end up hurting the girl. When he successfully removes the kimono, the demon lord carries the girl and walks into the river.

Rin screams out loud as her body gets in contact with the water. The water is extremely cold at this time of the night and her wounds are stinging. She shuts her eyes tightly and tries to fight the pain. Sesshoumaru is able to sense the girl's agony; as much as he wishes to bring her out of the water, he just can't afford to do that. He needs to clean the wounds properly or it might get infected in which case it will lead to another problem later. He tries to clean as fast and as gentle as he can.

"Hang in there Rin, it should be over shortly." The words flow tenderly into her ears. The girl nods swiftly without answering her lord. She bits her inner lips hard enough to cause it to bleed. Sesshoumaru stops and turns to face the girl in his arms. He is heartbroken to see the girl struggling in agony.

"Rin, bit my shoulder if the pain is unbearable." The girl is shocked with the statement, there is no way she is could to bite her lord.

"I-I'm fine, please continue my lord." Her weak and shaky voice shows no hesitation. _What kind of hardship she has encountered to become this strong?_ The taiyoukai ponders. He nods and continues on cleaning.

Several minutes pass, Sesshoumaru brings the girl back to the shore and he dries her up with the towel. Rin's jaw is still trembling in the cold but she feels much better as a new kimono wraps her freezing body. Aito helps to put on a pair of new socks on her mother's feet. Rin smiles slightly to her son as she thanks him. The taiyoukai turns to the kid and speaks.

"Good boy, now go and clean the torn kimono before you throw it." Aito's eyes widen confused, he blinks his eyes few times and tries to figure out the reason as to why he has to clean something unwanted. Sesshoumaru senses the boy's confusion as he tries to explain it.

"Just wash away the blood, it's more than enough." The demon lord strokes the boy's head. Aito nods as he turns and carries the kimono to the river. Sesshoumaru then carries Rin back to the hut. He feels bad to lie to his son but if he wishes to tend to the girl's wounds, he needs to drive the kid away. He sighs while the girl is mystified with her lord's action.

Sesshoumaru places Rin on the bed and she adjusts herself to a comfortable position. He then sits closely beside her and observes the girl combing her bangs with her fingers. The bruises are visible on her fair skin. He takes the girl's hand close to his mouth and starts licking on her wound. Rin gasps at the demon lord's action. She pulls her hand away and stares at her lord with her widened hazelnut eyes.

"What are you doing my lord?" Sesshoumaru looks up at the girl's astounded face. He almost bursts out into laughter with her adorable expression.

"I am tending to your wounds." He reaches out with his right hand and pulls the girl's left sleeve a bit higher to reveal her bruised arms. Gently he takes her arm close to his mouth and continues licking. Rin's mouth gapes open, it feels warm and smoothing with the demon lord's tongue stroking around the bruised area. Her face flushes red, although they have been intimate before, but the feeling of being touched by the taiyoukai again is little bit odd when they have been separated for long. But strangely, she feels so comfortable even with oddity.

"I- I mean wh-what are you ..." A claw finger reaches out to touch over the girl's lips preventing any further speech.

"My saliva will help to heal your wounds. Let me continue on."

"But ... I- "No proper words come out, as the girl watches her lord tending her wounds from arm to shoulder, cheeks and the rest of the bruises. As Sesshoumaru's tongue works on her face near to her swollen busted lips, he takes her lips into his as they share a gentle and affectionate kiss.

_Far away in the forest,_

The sound of thunderstorms has awakened the little toad from his deep sleep. The first thing Jaken notices is that his master is missing. He scans the surrounding and finds no trace of the demon lord. The little kappa is starting to panic; he quickly grabs his staff and runs into the deep forest hoping to find his lord.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! Where are you?" Unfortunately his high pitched voice is no match for the god of lightning. The green toad has only one wish at this moment, it is to find his master before heavy rain approaches.

_Back to the hut, _

Rin is now lying on her bed as she tries to catch some sleep. Sesshoumaru sit at the side of the bed watching the girl. Although the tending session is still a shock for her, she does feel the much needed relief and the pains have reduced. She doesn't have a problem with the demon lord's intentions but she stills thinks that she doesn't deserve it.

"Don't think too much Rin, sleep well." Rin stares at her lord's warm golden orbs. She wishes to ask about his return and how he managed to find Aito but her mind is too weak to handle the questions for now. She shuts her eyes off and attempts to sleep.

Few minutes pass by and Rin opens her eyes. Her vision focuses onto the left and finds that the demon is still there. She smiles at him and shuts her eyes again to sleep. Sesshoumaru rests his left hand on the girl's forehead, to assure her of his presence. Rin relaxes under his touch.

Another few minutes pass, the girl pops her eyes open again but this time she has a strange feeling hovering in her mind. She grabs onto the demon lord's hand and tries to rise from the bed. Sesshoumaru observes the girl's strange behavior. Rin's eyes are scanning the entire hut again and again. Satisfied with her inspections she sighs and turns to face her lord.

"I want to get Aito back here, why is he taking this long? Did something happen to him?" The girl asks in concern.

"I don't sense anyone else's presence except for the three of us. Rin, relax and get back to sleep. You need to rest." He whispers softly but the girl doesn't seem to be satisfied with the reply. She pulls the blanket aside and tries to leave the bed but her attempts are halted by the taiyoukai.

"Rin, trust me, no one else is present except for the three of us. Get back to sleep you need a proper rest." He growls lowly with his voice slightly raised. He instantly regrets it as he spots the girl's hazelnut eyes filled with unshed tears.

"How do you know he will be fine? There is no harm in checking, why are you stopping me? He is my son and I care about his safety. You won't understand how I feel." Rin yells but Sesshoumaru roars in anger. He is also horrified by how much her trust in him has eroded away in these 4 years as Rin has never questioned his ability to protect.

"I know how you feel and I care for Aito too. He is my s..." Rin abruptly wraps her arms around the taiyoukai's waist before he manages to complete the sentence. Ignoring the pain caused by the sudden movements, the girl buries her face on top of the fluffy on the demon lord's right shoulder and cries.

Sesshoumaru gently strokes her back, trying to calm the girl down. He then turns his head to the side to bury his nose in the girl's hair and re-learns her scent. A scent of broken trust slices through the air, and he realizes that it was his fault. Wearily the demon lord rests his chin on the side of his precious companion's hair.

"What is it like to ... sleep well?" She sniffs hard into the demon lord's shoulder but her hold loosens as she rests her throbbing arms on his laps before continuing, "What if I was in deep sleep and not being aware of someone's presence? They might take Aito away to threaten me, I might not be able to fight then. And if I upset them, they will hurt my son. I don't care what happens to me, but Aito is innocent, he shouldn't face all this torture. Please help me my lord. I am so afraid; I can't afford to lose my son. He is my only reason to live on..."

Sesshoumaru's heart is in torment at the girl's statements. Rin has to live in this isolated hut, she has no ability to defend herself and that too she is living with a kid. He couldn't imagine the kind of life the girl has to go through alone. With no anger towards the girl's earlier behaviors, sorrow rushes in thick and deep. _What if today's incident has happened before?_ The demon lord instantly discards the ridiculous thought. Ever so gently he brushes his lips across her dark raven hair as he wraps his arms securely around her weak body.

The scent of fear is in the air, her sobs do not indicate of her weakness, not at all. In fact, her wail is a sign of tiredness. Rin is strong; sometimes the demon lord thinks his girl is probably way stronger than him. _What strength of spirit has possessed this fragile human to be this strong?_ Sesshoumaru drops one of his hands to the side as it clenches into a fist. _My fault._ He curses his own pride for trusting an unknown leopard which has placed the girl under trauma. _If only I stayed behind..._ The taiyoukai is cussing and clenches his fist tightly until it bleeds.

It is at this moment, a familiar scent lingers into the demon lord's nose. As he rolls his golden orbs to the right, a small figure is caught out of the corner of his eyes. Aito, his poor son is standing next to him. He must have heard of his mother's statements earlier which explain his sore eyes. Sesshoumaru gently taps on Rin's shoulder, as he whispers softly into her ears.

"Rin, Aito is here." The girl taken aback looks at her precious son. The kid then climbs onto the bed and wraps his arms around his poor mother's waist. Both begin to cry on each other's arms.

Sesshoumaru walks to the dining table; his left hand touches the grip of his swords as he gazes at the duo over his shoulder. The swords might be precious to him but the taiyoukai admits that both Rin and Aito are far more valuable to protect in his lifetime. At this point, he has no reason to back down to the leopard anymore, Aito is his son, he doesn't need the girl to admit it, he has witnessed it earlier and that is enough to prove the boy's identity. All he needs to focus on now is to seek out the reason behind the girl's disappearance and vow to bring the duo back to the western fortress. There's plenty of time to plan things out, as for now his injured Rin and poor son need proper rest, the best sleep that they ever had.

The taiyoukai sets the Bakusaiga and Tenseiga on the table; untying his yellow and indigo obi from his waist, he then removes the black armor from his chest and settles it on the table. He turns and walks back to the bed, joining his Rin and Aito with his arms stretching wide enough to hug the two of them. The girl looks up to her lord, her hazelnut eyes are now turning into sore reddish eyes. _Poor girl. _Sesshoumaru strokes the girl's back, assuring her that everything is alright now. Rin nods with her tears continuing to stream down her cheek. She then rests her head on the demon lord's shoulder with Aito still in her arms.

"Rin, the sleepless nights are over. That was the life without me and now I am here. I want you to relax and rest." The girl inclines her head but remains silent. Rin trails off slowly; she wipes away the tears on her face and does the same on Aito. Sesshoumaru helps the girl to lay down with Aito in her arms. The exhausted boy has fallen asleep quickly under his mother's warm embrace.

"Good night Rin." The demon lord places a light kiss on the girl's forehead. He then lies next to the girl with Aito separating them in-between.

"I will be here, do not be afraid. Let tonight be the beginning of many restful nights." The demon lord combs the girl's hair as he speaks. He watches the girl's eyes shut slowly as she drifts to her sleep. With his right arm across the boy and resting on the girl's waist, Sesshoumaru feels extremely comfortable and blissful for being able to watch his precious companion and his son sleep next to him. A strange feeling arises as the taiyoukai feels the strong bond between them. He never needs to sleep and he doesn't have to do it now since he just loves to watch over the girl sleep. As Rin's face starts to show signs of relaxation, Sesshoumaru whispers to the duo.

"The bond between us." The demon lord smirks before he continues, "I've feel it myself."

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**Chapter end notes:**

2 weeks for an update. I am sorry guys, works is killing me. I tried to look for another job but LOL no one wish to hire me and all the replied I got is _"Better opportunity else where Jenni."_ LOL

So no choice, I shall stick to my current work before my boss fire me XD

Anyway, I know the length of this chapter didn't pay off the long wait. As you all know this is the split chapter from last one. Sorry is all I can say

Well I am starting to write chapter 14, so perhaps I can complete it before my holiday.

I will be celebrating Lunar New Year in a week time, yay! I miss my hometown and I will be away from KL for a week as well. BUT I will stay in touch with the fiction world though because I will never live without reading stories LOL

So perhaps I can update another chapter before am leaving. Until then see you guys later bye and take care :-)

Next Chapter == _Shoulder ride_

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**Anonymous review reply:-**

**songhamitra** ~ Hello dear, thanks for your review. Glad that you like 'The Revenge' chapter. I know is a bit gross for the kid to act that way but oh well what can we expect from the son of Sesshoumaru? XD

The bonding is here and I never discard the idea of 'lovey-dovey' comforting. The process of healing will see a lot of lovey-dovey :-)

**Jolie** ~ Hey dear, thanks for your review. Sesshoumaru has no doubt will want to bring the duo back to the castle. Aito will soon know about his father. Now can you guess who will tell the boy about this? Rin? Sesshoumaru? or someone else? :-)

**Naala** ~ Hi dear, thanks for your review. Aww, thanks for the compliment :-) I am no where to be classified as an excellent writer. I am still in the stage of learning. Yes I will definitely write about the reason of Rin's leaving. Perhaps in 2 more chapters :-) Stay tunes ya?

**elusivequeenbee** ~ Hey there, thank you for yur review :-) Yea, I love to read quotes and I read it in daily basic. Before I update my story, I use to search for a proper quote. It will describe my chapter well before readers start to read it. I love the quote for chapter 12 as well. :-)

To be honest, Aito real identity will be a bit twisted for my story. So there will be an explanaition about the boy real soon. You will get to know whether he is a hanyou / full fledged demon. :-) The chapter where he shows all the marks on his face is not part of transformation. It happens often whenever the kid gets angry. I will explain about this part too in the up coming chapters :-)

Oh yes, I do know the problem with longer paragraph. I will change it :-)

**Divine Rose** ~ Hey there, thank you for reading my story and your reviews. I love your story and can't wait to read more :-)

What do you think about Ryuuki? Do you like him? He has his own story too, which will be revealing later in my story.


	14. Shoulder ride

**Chapter notes:**

"_Your father is the beat in your heart."_

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The Lily of the Valley signifies **_"The Return of Happiness"_**

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**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi.**_

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**Chapter 14 – Shoulder ride**

The sun is still below the horizon. A weak sunlight appears slightly dissolving the darkness of the skies to indicate the approach of dawn. A pair of warm golden eyes continues observing the human girl who is still in peaceful slumber with her pup wrapped securely under her arms. Rin's sleep was quite peaceful and the demon lord is please with it. She didn't steer much the entire night, although there were several occasions where the girl's expression started to show discomfort due to some nightmares but the demon lord managed to ease her pain off. He constantly combs the girl's hair and lightly pats on her arms to make sure his Rin feels his presence. Aito, on the other hand is sleeping like a wild animal hibernating during winter, at peace and calm.

The bed is pretty small and although it fits the three of them really well, a small movement from the demon lord will disturb the duo and that is why the taiyoukai remained in the same position for the entire night. While Sesshoumaru is about to move his hand away from the girl's waist, he catches the boy changing his position and is now facing the demon lord. The kid moves his right hand closer to his face and scratches his cheek. His hand then turns into a loose fist with his thumb stretching out as he pushes it into his mouth and sucks on it.

The demon lord almost chuckles at his son's gestures; he moves one of his hands and brushes the side of the kid's face. While the boy continues sucking his thumb happily, a thought crosses the taiyoukai's mind. He is wondering about how the kid looked like when he was born, how much the boy weighed when he was a baby, when did he start to crawl, to walk and most importantly when did he start to speak. The thoughts somehow saddens the dog demon, the fact is that he has missed so many valuable moments to watch his son grow up and his heart is despondent thinking over it. He never thought that watching a kid grow up would be this contenting and joyful. Of course not until he has one by himself.

Dawn is quickly replaced by morning, as the darkness disappears the sun is now shining warmly through the windows lighting up the small hut. Bird's starts to sing as the roosters are busy waking the world up. Aito has dropped his thumb away from his mouth and is continuing to sleep.

Sesshoumaru is about to rise to a sitting position but spots the boy steering and stretching his arms straight up to the top with a yawn. His eyes partly open and attempts to view the vision in front of him. After several blinks his blurry vision is clear as he sees the taiyoukai laying close beside him. The boy shoots his eyes wide open as he quickly rises to a sitting position. The demon lord follows suit and rests his back at the edge of the bed with one of his hands stroking the kid's messy hair.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! You are still here?" Aito blinks his sunset eyes as he asks curiously.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" The demon lord answers coolly with his hand combing the kid's hair down to his waist line.

"I tho-thought you might be leaving." The kid's voice fades, almost sounds like he is afraid to speak out. Aito lowers his head and stares at his lap but steals a glance at the taiyoukai's face.

"I promised your mother to be here when she wakes up. I do not wish to disappoint her." Sesshoumaru rolls his golden eyes to the left to check on Rin. She is still sound asleep, peacefully. He sighs in relief. Aito observes the demon lord intensely. When the sunset eyes clashes with the golden orbs, the kid returns his gaze to his lap. Sensing the curiosity clouded over the boy's head the demon lord inquires.

"What is bothering you?" Aito's head snaps up in surprise at the taiyoukai's ability to read his mind. He sends the demon lord a toothy smile with one of his hands scratching the back of his non-itchy head.

"I was wo-won- wondering my lord," Blinking his eyes several times the kid continues, "Do you love mother?" Sesshoumaru stares at the boy in astonishment. Aito maybe about 4 years old according to the demon lord's own calculations, but he has a higher level of observation compared to ordinary kids. He might not know how to use all his senses but the boy's smartness is definitely inherited from the taiyoukai.

"Yes, I do. _Always do._"The last words were unspoken. Aito's eyes widen with his mouth slightly parting as he stares at the dog demon in amazement.

"How much? As much as Aito loves mother?" Sesshoumaru almost chuckles at the boy's eager expression. He places one of his hands over the boy's shoulder and answers the kid with an emotionless face.

"Much more than that." Aito's mouth pops wide apart with his eyes shot wider than before in awe. He did not expect someone else to love his mother more than he does.

"Aito will love mother as much as Lord Sesshoumaru do. Much much more than that!" The boy exclaims happily with both of his hands stretching high up into the air. The demon lord couldn't help but smile a little at his son's reaction. The kid certainly doesn't know the type affection he has towards his Rin. _He is very innocent, just like Rin._ The taiyoukai whispers as he watches the boy clap his hands happily.

"Do you feel hungry?" asks the demon lord as he attracts the kid's attention back to him. Aito nods twice, he then turns to face his mother.

"Aito wishes to hunt for mother." The smiles of joy leave as his gloomy gaze falls on his poor mother. Last night's incident is still fresh in his memory. Sesshoumaru tenderly pats over the boy's shoulder as he turns to face the demon lord.

"Would you like to catch yourself some fish?"

"Yes!" Aito answers with a big smile on his face. The taiyoukai lifts the boy up and puts him down on the floor.

"Do not wander too far, you understand?" The kid nods in agreement as he runs and jumps merrily towards the wooden door and leaves the hut. Sesshoumaru then turns to Rin, he is finally alone with the girl. Not that he thinks the kid is an intruder but he wishes badly to hold the girl in his arms. Lying closely next to Rin, the demon lord slips one of his hands around the girl's waist and pulls her closely to his chest. With their faces almost inches away, the taiyoukai brushes his lips over the girl's forehead while enjoying the scent of his precious Rin.

Meanwhile at the river...

Aito splashes some water onto his arms and face. He feels so refreshed after washing his face. When done, he wraps the scarf around his head. Suddenly his sensitive ears catch a very familiar tiny high pitched voice not far away from the river. As the voice closes in, he can hear the words clearly and he recognizes the voice. _Jaken?_ The boy wonders as he rises and tries to check the direction of the voice.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, where are you?" The green kappa shouts in a rather tired voice. He then catches sight of a boy waving his hand not far away from the kappa's place. He runs towards the boy's direction and sees Aito standing at the side of the river.

"Master Jaken what took you so long to catch up with Lord Sesshoumaru? He was here the entire night." The boy's statement obviously hurt the toad's pride as he crosses his arms around his chest and looks away.

"You silly kid, what made you think I was catching up with my lord. He sent me away for some duty and I am here now to report that the mission has been accomplished." Jaken lies proudly with his chest puffed out. Aito narrows his gaze in disbelief.

"You sound more like a lost servant who was searching for his master than what you have claimed." The boy's further comments are really getting on the little toad's nerves but he tries to stay cool. He knows that if he shows his anger it reveals that he is indeed lying. All of a sudden, he feels someone poking his nose. Jaken turns and spots the kid laughing out loud.

"What is so funny boy?" The toad inquires.

"You nose is expanding!" Aito is now rolling on the floor and continuing to laugh at the toad.

"Nonsense, there is nothing wrong with my nose so stop that annoying mirth."

"Look JAKEN your nose is growing longer now! Mother told me if someone is lying their nose will expand and I just saw that happen on you." The boy continues poking the toad's nose and laughs whole heartedly.

"Stop accusing me kid! I have no time to deal with you." The green kappa walks away from Aito and is about to head to the hut. But the boy immediately runs past the green toad and blocks his tracks with arms stretched wide apart.

"Step back, toad." The boy commands seriously.

"Move boy, I don't have business with you. I want to see my lord." Jaken steps forward but the boy makes no movements, instead he sends a deadly glare over to the kappa, that reminded the imp so much of none other than the great Lord Sesshoumaru.

"Mother is still sleeping with Lord Sesshoumaru, you are forbidden to intrude them." Aito replies firmly. The green kappa's eyes widen with his mouth popped open in shock. _Does the boy really know what is he talking about? _Jaken ponders curiously. Of course the imp knows the relationship between the taiyoukai and the human girl is close but to think that his lord left him behind just to come here and 'sleep' with the girl sounds a bit ridiculous.

"Explain." Is the only word that comes from the imp's mouth. Aito blinks his eyes several times in confusion.

"Sleep means sleep, what is there so much to explain? Don't make such a simple thing become complicated." The boy is puzzled. Jaken crosses his arms around his chest with his eyes shut as he smirks at the kid. He thinks that this is the best chance for him to become a hero.

"Listen boy, sometimes you need to be a bit more specific. I know you are still young but being lazy is not an excuse t..." The green kappa feels he is being dragged. He turns to find out that Aito is dragging him by his collar completely ignoring what he was saying earlier.

"What are you doing boy?" The imp tries to release himself but fails, Aito is way stronger than the little toad.

"Well you know I don't really like long stories. Come on we will go fishing." Jaken eyes widen in astonishment at the familiar comment. Young Rin once said the same thing to him when he was about to tell a sibling story about Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. _Like mother like son._ The little kappa thinks to himself as he is reluctantly being dragged away by the kid.

"Let me go! Lord SESSHOUMARU!" The voice from the toad fades away into the distance.

Rin's eyes shoots open with the familiar voice. Her vision is blurry as she tries to scan the surroundings. Sesshoumaru narrows his golden orbs in annoyance at the voice of his loyal companion. He decides to punish the toad later for waking his Rin up with that disturbing high pitched voice. After few a blinks, the girl finally regains the clear vision. Her startled hazelnut eyes widen. _Sesshoumaru!_ She screams in her thoughts at the distance between the demon lord and her. _So close._ She also feels a strong arm wrapped around her waist which sends a blush over the girl's cheeks.

Rin tries to moves backwards but feels that her arms are aching. Pain is written all over her face as she bites her lower lips with her eyes shut instantly.

"Rin do not move too much. You are suffering with minor bone fractures which will take some time to heal up. For the time being you have to stay on the bed." Sesshoumaru rises as he helps the girl to sit up with her back rested on a pillow. He is relieved at the sight of the girl's face showing some relaxation as he moves to the side of the bed and faces the girl.

"Do you feel any discomfort other than the bones?" He asks out of concern with his hands firmly pressing on the girl's. Rin shakes her head a bit indicating 'no' as she speaks softly.

"The pain from the wound has reduced and I feel much better after a long sleep. Thank you my lord." Her lips curl into a small smile. She then stares around the hut but her son is no where to be seen.

"My lord where is Aito?" The girl asks.

"He is off for hunting but won't be wandering too far off." The demon lord assures. Rin smiles sadly as she turns and looks at the taiyoukai's hands still firmly pressing on hers.

"It is my duty to prepare his meal, but I failed to do so." Her unclear voice fills with a lump in her throat. Sesshoumaru tenderly strokes on top of the girl's hands.

"You're injured Rin and you failed no one." The demon lord tilts the girl's chin up to face him with his claw finger as he continues, "Besides the boy loves hunting. He inherits your skills in catching fish." Rin raises her eyes brows; she is confused at first but later chuckles slightly, remembering the day she let her son go out for hunting. It was the day when the girl woke up late and the taiyoukai sent her off to the kitchen.

Sesshoumaru relaxes a little, pleased with Rin's reaction. He does not want the girl to shoulder all the blame despite her current conditions. He wants to ensure that the girl gets plenty of rest and lots of good food for her speedy recovery. Only by then he can focus on pursuing the duo to return to the western fortress. But most importantly, she has to stop working at the kitchen. Releasing his finger from her chin; the demon lord rests both of his hands on top of Rin's shoulder.

"Rin, tell me who are those bastards attacked you and Aito last night." Her shoulder stiffens at the thought of the incident that happened. Sesshoumaru gently squeezes the girl's shoulder assuring her no harm would come her way. She relaxes a little and attempts to reply.

"I bumped into those brothers yesterday on the way back to the kitchen after my lunch break. I didn't know them but Tsuyu san told me they are the Geisha house's loyal customers. We are not used to encountering any customers during day times but I was told the brothers weren't pleased with one of the girls at the house." Her voice is shaky out of trauma.

"I assume the brothers showed their interest in you after the incident. But if no one revealed about your whereabouts, they will not be able to know." He deduces firmly. Rin frowns, she couldn't think of anyone in the kitchen who would have done such a thing. Suddenly the girl feels something isn't right in her lord's statement. She snaps her head up and stares at the demon lord, dubiously.

"My lord you are not suspecting Tsuyu san are you?" She asks seriously but no reply comes from the taiyoukai. Rin's eyes widen in disbelief.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, Tsuyu san will never do such a thing. She cares for me so much just like my mother. She will never ever betray me. Please don't harm her my lord, please." The girl grabs on one of the demon lord's arm and pleads desperately.

Sesshoumaru nods lightly, he does not doubt the girl's ability in judging others. But Rin is naïve and innocent. Unlike demons, the ugliest side of the human clan is that they are willing to sacrifice another for their own benefits. Since Rin is more given than received, she might be falling into the traps of her own kind. The taiyoukai decides to sort this matter on his own without worrying his precious ward.

At this moment, Aito storms into the hut with his left hand holding 3 fishes while his right is still on the green kappa's collar. He then drops the toad on the floor and runs to the demon lord's side.

"Mother, you are awake. How are you feeling?" The boy asks with eagerness.

"Much better my son." She smiles at her son who is jumping merrily. Jaken closes up to the trio as he looks up at his master with his signature expression; teary widen eyes and a huge smile on his face.

"Mi lord I was worried about you, why are you leaving without informing me?" Sesshoumaru sends a deadly glare to the green kappa. The toad is instantly on his knees apologizing. Aito's eyes narrows at the kappa's question.

"I thought you told me Lord Sesshoumaru sent you off for a duty?" He slams. Few drops of sweat are now visible at the side of the kappa's face.

"I KNOW! You are lying!" Aito exclaims as he continues with his hearty laughter before he adds, "I knew that you were left behind."

"Aito, don't be rude to master Jaken." Rin immediately ends her son's bragging. He then curls his lips to the left to show his dissatisfaction. The girl shakes her head at her son's behavior.

"Jaken, help Aito to get the meal done now." Sesshoumaru instructs as the duo leave the hut to prepare the fish. They return in 30mins with the roasted fish served on the dining table. The demon lord carries the girl to the table as she and Aito begin to have their breakfast peacefully.

After the meal, Rin is back laying on her bed resting. Sesshoumaru decides this is the right time for him to find Tsuyu and have a few words with the lady.

"Rin, I will be back shortly." The girl nods without question. He then turns to the boy and the kappa. "You two will remain here. Jaken do not create trouble." With that the taiyoukai heads for the hut entrance and leaves. Aito watches on curiously. He wishes to follow the dog demon but doesn't dare to ask his permission. An idea sparks in his mind as he jumps off from the chair and runs to his mother side.

"Mother, Aito wish to go with Lord Sesshoumaru. I will be safe, don't worry." Rin can only nod besides she knows that the demon lord will ensure her son's safety. The kid runs to the door but is interrupted by the green kappa.

"Hey boy, mi lord said you and I have to stay here. Come back." Jaken yells. The kid turns with a dissatisfied look as he shoots the toad an annoying gaze.

"You will obey your master and I will go. Unlike you, Lord Sesshoumaru is my mother's best friend and he won't be mad at me. Take care of my mother." Aito waves at the toad and his mother as he quickly leaves the hut.

"You fool I wil-..."

"Master Jaken." Rin interrupts the green toad. He turns to his back and notices the girl smiling at him.

"Please forgive Aito, I know he is rude most of the times but he doesn't mean it. My son doesn't have friends and the villager's kids always insult him. I know deep inside his heart; he is seeing you as one of his best friend, someone who he can play with freely without worries about being bullied." She pauses a while and swallows hard before continuing, "You wouldn't be mad at my poor baby right?" The girl pleads melancholy. The little kappa watches Rin intensely, looking into her eyes; he knows that the girl has suffered more than he can think of. He then crosses his arms around his chest as he replies.

"Nonsense, I don't have time to anger at the little kid. I am Lord Sesshoumaru's most loyal follower and I have way more many important duties to handle than to piss at the small kid."

Rin chuckles at the toad's gestures, she misses the green kappa so much. It reminds her a lot of the days they used to travel together. In those days she was just a small girl, no worries and burdens. As long as the demon lord is around she fears nothing in this world.

"Rin." Jaken's voice brings the girl's attention back from the day dream.

"Yes?" She smiles delightfully. A moment of silence ensues before the kappa speaks.

"You will not go anywhere without a word again. _We_ Lord Sesshoumaru was so worried about you. Do you know how long we have searched for you? Crossed four continents and how many restless nights we have went through."

"Ma-s-ter Ja-ken ..." Her voices fades slowly as she becomes speechless. Her brown eyes are getting heavier and she knows she will break down anytime.

"Don't ever do this again you understand girl? If you don't wish to tell my lord, come to me and I promise to keep the secret." Jaken added. The girl only manages a couple of nods without a word. The green toad isn't satisfied but chooses not to further pester the girl.

"Master Jaken if you don't mind may I rest now? I feel tired." Rin asks and the green kappa inclines his head as he leaves the hut. When the wooden door closes, tears stream uncontrollably and wet the girl's cheeks. Jaken on the other side of the door senses the girl's wails. He too is trying hard to hold back the tears.

_In the forest... _

Sesshoumaru notices some gestures around the bushes. He knows Aito has been following him not long after he left the hut. The demon lord easily catches his son's tracks; after all he is only barely a 4 year old kid and knows nothing about hiding himself properly. _He can master the skill with me in time._ The taiyoukai smirks proudly.

He increases his speed and pauses abruptly on purpose which causes the boy to overrun and he can hear his son panting heavily trying to catch his breathe. When he is satisfied in teasing his son, Sesshoumaru turns to the left and walks closer the bushes. Aito freezes in his steps, immobile and holds his breathe. The demon lord stretches his mokomoko and wraps it around his son's body and pulls him out of the bushes. Aito is released in front of the taiyoukai as he shamelessly smiles to his lord.

"My lord how did you notice me?" The boy asks innocently. Sesshoumaru frowns as he almost laughs at his son's question.

"Boy your moves are very obvious." He replies coolly. Aito sticks his tongue out at the lord and he earns gentle strokes from the demon lord on his head. The taiyoukai then pulls the scarf away from the boy's head. Aito eyes widen, astounded.

"You look better without it" Is his only statement. The kid sends him toothy smiles.

"Why are you here?" Aito snaps his head up to stare at his lord.

"I want to know where Lord Sesshoumaru is going and what you will do. My lord please brings me along with you, please!" The boy's pleads with his gloomy puppy eyes. The demon lord is unable to reject his poor son, he then drops to one knee and lifts his son into his arm.

"Let's go." Rising on his feet, the taiyoukai resumes his tracks with Aito smiling happily being be able to follow his lord.

_In the kitchen... _

Akemi is busy washing the vegetables, there are two more bushels left and she still hasn't prepared the soup which was assigned to her this morning. Rin had a day off and Tsuyu has taken an emergency day off since her granddaughter was sick last night. The kitchen has lost two of the most efficient workers and they are struggling to keep their duties on schedule. _I wish Rin was here._ At this moment she feels someone taping on her right shoulder. She jerks up and turns to find Aito standing next to her. Her eyes widen in shock.

"Aito dear, why are you? Is Rin coming along with you?" Akemi asks excitedly as she thought the gods heard her wishes.

"No, mother isn't coming with Aito. Akemi san, where is Tsuyu baasan?" The boy asks as his eyes scan around the kitchen.

"She is not here today because Minako was sick last night." Akemi answers as she continues her task.

"Why are you looking for Tsuyu san?" She gets no reply. Akemi turns and finds that the boy has gone. She then rushes to the outside and sees Aito being lifted by the fierce demon lord as they leave the kitchen. Akemi's eyes widen in shock, she wishes badly to follow the duo but the work in the kitchen can not be abandoned as well. Reluctantly she returns to her work with doubts clouding her mind.

_At the village..._

Upon arriving at the village, Sesshoumaru instructs Aito to stay behind as he pursues further down into the area. After passing several huts, he encounters a lady who has just walked out from a small hut with a bucket of clothes in her hands. The bucket falls from her hands as she looks up to see a fierce demon standing before her. Her eyes widen in astonishment, her mouth gaps but no voice comes out.

"Where is the lady name Tsuyu?" The taiyoukai asks seriously. The lady's heart almost stops beating as she quickly turns and runs into another hut which the demon lord believes belongs to Tsuyu.

A moment later, the same lady comes out from the hut accompanied by another one. This lady looks to be in her fifties. Her hairs are mixed between more grey with lesser black. She wears a simple plain maroon kimono. Her wrinkled face looks generous and she smiles to the demon lord.

"Young lord, I heard you are looking for me?" Tsuyu asks softly.

"We need to talk about Rin." Sesshoumaru's serious tone jerks the old lady up.

_Meanwhile at the entrance of the village._

Aito feels so uncomfortable to wait on his own. He doesn't want to be here nor even wish to stay longer in this village. He has had enough bad memories here and wishes not to remember all that again. When he decides to catch up with the demon lord, his ears catch the painful word that he doesn't wish to hear again in his lifetime.

"Hey monster, why are you here again?" There come three boys from the village. Aito recognize their voices clearly. They are the kids who use to insult him and his mother. He pretends not to be hearing anything and continues to walk away. But this time another kid yells at him.

"Hey you monster, don't ever come back with your mother. We don't welcome a monster like you and a woman who bedded with a demon. Oh and you both behind were left behind. So go elsewhere." Aito's clenches his fists but choose to ignore them. He has promised his mother to not mess with the villager boys and he will obey it. Besides Lord Sesshoumaru isn't far away and all he needs to do is run as fast as he can. Still with his back facing the kids, Aito is now pacing as fast as he can in the direction of the demon lord. Suddenly, he feels a tiny rock hit on his back; he ignores it and speeds up his pace. A moment later, another rock hits on his back again and this time Aito stops without turning back. Fists still clenched tightly.

"Are you deaf or what? We are talking to you monster. Such bad mannered boy, no wonder your father left you." Another boy insults and this time the three of them throw stones at the same time. When the stones fell onto the grass, with the hurtful words are locked in Aito's head. He turns to face the kids with his reddened eyes glaring furiously. He roars fumingly.

_Back to the hut ..._

Worries fill in Tsuyu's heart when the demon lord mentions Rin's name. She moves closer to him and stretches out one of her hands gesturing the dog demon inside the hut with a small bow. Sesshoumaru declines the offers as he speaks.

"Our conversation will not be long." Tsuyu nods and patiently waits for the demon lord to explain about his earlier statement.

"Rin was attacked by two bastards last night. I found Aito in the forest; apparently the guy has escaped when I arrived. Unfortunately, the other guy was still in the hut, almost defiled the girl. I came in time to save her dignity." Sesshoumaru notices Tsuyu eyes widen astounded as she covers her wide open mouth with her hands.

"Is she alright now?" The lady asks in concern.

"She was beaten up badly with minor bone fractures on her chest. I have tended to her wounds and it has healed quite a bit but the bones will need a month to be healed." He answers emotionlessly. Tsuyu sighs in relief.

"Thank god. My poor Rin, she has suffered too much." Tsuyu sniffs a little as she pulls out a handkerchief and wipes the tears away from her cheeks. Sesshoumaru observes carefully as he tries to read the lady. A moment passes without words.

"Rin told me this morning, she had bump into these guys yesterday outside the kitchen. I believe you were there as well. My concern is that someone must have revealed her whereabouts to have caused such a tragedy." Sesshoumaru glares sternly at the lady. Tsuyu is not feeling comfortable with the stares; she picks up the hint from his statement.

"And you think I did it?" The lady narrows her eyes in annoyance.

"It could be someone from the kitchen." That's his only answer.

"Impossible, everyone in the kitchen loves Rin, there is no way they will betray her. I can assure you that with my life." Tsuyu presses on firmly but Sesshoumaru instantly replies.

"That doesn't mean the owner of the Geisha house won't do it. Humans tend to sacrifice one another to achieve their own benefits. I wouldn't be surprised if she is the one who revealed it." Tsuyu is startled by the accusation. She has known Onna for quite long, and she believes the lady will not do such a thing for her business sake.

"I believe the owner of the house will not do such a thing, but I will personally investigate this matter to clear all the misunderstanding." The lady assures as she sees the demon lord nod and turn to take his leave.

"Wait a moment." Tsuyu calls out. Sesshoumaru pauses but didn't turn to the lady.

"Who are you?" she asks cautiously.

"Who am I is not your concern." When the taiyoukai is about to walks away, another lady shows up and runs hurriedly to Tsuyu's side. She looks to be in quite a worried state.

"Tsuyu san, the demon kid is attacking our village boys. You have to stop him before he harms the kids." The girl pants heavily.

"Aito is here?" Tsuyu questions as she looks up at the demon lord. Sesshoumaru walks away instantly without bothering to know the details.

Aito is charging on one of the boys when Sesshoumaru arrives at the spot. His son growls angrily and keeps punching at the boy's chest while the other two manage to escape and hide behind their parents. Villagers are now flooding at the area and they are surprised at the presence of the dog demon. The taiyoukai steps closer to his pup and tries to draw his attention.

"Aito release the boy." The demon lord instructs but the kid continues to attack the village boy.

"AITO you will listen to what I said. Set the boy free now!" Sesshoumaru snarls. This time Aito seems to hear the demon lord. He stops punching and turns to face the taiyoukai with his redden eyes and upper lip raised to bare his teeth.

"Come here" Aito inclines his head as he releases the grip on the village boy and walks to the demon lord's side. A couple runs from the crowd to their son's side and checks on his condition.

"How dare you hurt my son?" The mother speaks looking down at her wounded son. His cheeks were swollen and a small blood drop is dripping from his mouth.

Sesshoumaru pays no attention to the humans; he drops to one knee and wraps his right hand around his son's waist as pulls the boy closer to him. His left hand strokes the kid's head gently. Aito regains his own self slowly; his sunset eyes return and his sharp teeth turn normal, he then looks up to the taiyoukai with his sore eyes.

"My lo-rd ..." He can barely speak as he starts sniffing. His sunset eyes glass over with unshed tears.

"What had happened? Why did you attack the boy?" Aito cries with the question as he throws his arms around the taiyoukai's neck.

"Tell me _son_." He whispers into his son's ears.

"Th-ey they said mother bedded with a demon and father left us behind. No, it is not true. Father didn't leave Aito, he will be back. He will, right my lord? Please tell me yes, please my lord, please." Sesshoumaru's heart is despondent with what his son had just said. He is the father of the kid and yet he can not reveal the truth. Watching his son painfully the demon lord tries to console the heart broken kid.

"Your father never leaves you. Take a look around; he is the sunshine in your hair, the shadow on the ground, the whisper in the wind and the air that you breathe. Remember he is always watching you no matter where he is now. He will be proud of you. He will come back to you, soon. Very soon _my son_." Aito pulls away a little and stares at the demon lord. Sesshoumaru smiles at the kid as the boy nods in agreement.

Sesshoumaru then rises with Aito wrapping his arms securely around one of the demon lord's legs. The taiyoukai sends a deadly glare and roars furiously at the villagers. The crowds step backward but Tsuyu steps up and runs to the demon lord's side.

"Please young lord, this is only some small misunderstanding. They are only kids and they don't mean their words." The lady defends.

"Oh, so Aito is not a kid?" Sesshoumaru snarls. Tsuyu shakes her head a little and explains.

"I did not mean it that way, it is just that I wish to sort matters without violence." The demon lord narrows his eyes in annoyance as he turns his gaze to the villagers. His fuming golden orbs scan each individual intensely.

"That's how Rin and Aito ended up living in the abandon hut. You people despise a poor girl. Is that how you treat your own kind?" He growls in resentment.

"But the kid is not a human, he is a monster!" One of the villagers yells out loud. Sesshoumaru's eyes immediately turn red and growls angrily at the man.

"_My son_ he is not a monster!" Aito's grips tighten around his lord's leg as he speaks.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I don't want to stay here, can we go home?" The taiyoukai turns to his frightened pup. Gently stroking over the boy's head the demon lord guides his son and both of them turn to leave. Aito follows closely without turning back. As their shadows finally vanish, the lady turns to the villagers and keeps shaking her head.

"Do you people really need to treat the boy this harsh? A monster you said? Who is the one saved our village when the bandits attacked?" Tsuyu questions while the crowd are silent. She shakes her head again and walks as she speaks.

"Ryuuki saved us and he is a demon. Talk about monster huh?" When the lady disappears into her hut, the villagers turn and look at each other shamelessly.

_In the forest ... _

Sessoumaru leads the path while Aito follows closely behind. The trip to meet up with the lady name Tsuyu has turned out to be a bad move but the demon lord is glad that at least he was able to know the reason to why Rin isn't living at the village. Although the Taiyoukai isn't quite satisfied about the kids who were insulting his pup, he knows very well not to use his power to punish the villagers because it will only upset his Rin. Besides, the girl and his pup are not going to live here anymore so why waste his energy on useless matters.

Aito on the other hand is still trying to overcome all the bad words he has heard in the village. Though he doesn't know the reason why the demon lord needs to be there, but he is glad that he didn't hurt anyone or else his mother will be very upset. The kid then glances at the back of the Taiyoukai and sigh in relief. His lord has once again rescued him when he could barely control his own self at that moment.

The boy's pace has decrease due to his tiredness and he finds it hard to keeps up with the demon lord. He knows the exhaustion is strongly related to the moment he lost control of himself. Although the incident doesn't happen quite often, he knows it used to happen only when he started to get really irate about something. He feels so tired, his legs have given up and he stops in his tracks. Sesshoumaru notices the change in his son's scent as he turns to see the kid's pale face. He walks to the kid and bends at the boy's side.

"Are you not feeling good?" He asks in concern. Aito shakes his head lightly.

"I am just tired my lord, can we rest a while?" The boy inquires. The Taiyoukai nods and sits next to the kid. A short moment of silence falls as Aito keeps stealing a glance at the demon lord. He wishes to get back to the hut and hug his mother but at the same time his stamina has reached its limit. It is at this time his mind keeps rewinding back to the day when he was at the village. Those villager's kids used to get shoulder rides with their fathers whenever they were tired. Aito always wished to have a shoulder ride with his father. By thinking of that his sunset eyes glasses over with unshed tears. _Father, Aito miss you so much. Where are you?_ The boy sniffs at the painful thought. He then feels a strong hand pat on his shoulder and he turns to see the demon lord watching him in concern. Aito manages a simple smile to assure the Taiyoukai that he is fine. When the kid catches Sesshoumaru returning a small smile, he feels brave enough to ask a favor from the demon lord.

"I- was wondering my lord..." but he is still afraid to complete his request.

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asks while watching his son's odd reaction.

"I was thinking if I-I urrphhmm ..." Aito gulps nervously as he bravely completes his sentence. "My lord can I ride on your shoulder? Aito wishes to get back to mother but I am so tired now." The Taiyoukai astounded at his son's request. Aito quickly turns away from his lord and stares nervously at his own lap with his hands turned into fists and grabbing on his own hakama. The boy's heart is pumping really fast when the demon lord didn't reply. When he is brave enough to turn and look up, he finds out the Taiyoukai is now kneeling very close to him with his hands stretched forwards. Aito's eyes widen in shock.

"Come we will leave now." Sesshoumaru stretches out his hands inviting his son. The boy smiles broadly at the offer, he really didn't expect that his lord would agree and he is just too happy to think of anything at the moment. Quickly the kid moves himself to the awaiting hands as the demon lord carries his son high up and rests the boy's legs on both of his shoulders.

Once at the top, Aito is amused by the view in front of him. When the Taiyoukai stands up and starts walking, the boy feels like he is flying in the skies. He can see every single thing at the front and he feels so proud of it. His arms naturally spread wide apart as he starts to cheer out loud. Sesshoumaru is pleased with his son's reaction; he didn't know such a simple ride would mean so much for the boy. _If this pleases my son I shall do it more often._ The Taiyoukai smirks at his own thought.

With the boy singing happily at the top and the demon lord enjoying every moment of it, the duo walks slowly back to the hut. Unbeknownst to both of them, their father and son journey has just started at this very moment.

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**Chapter end notes:**

I am sorry for not being able to update this before I went for the holidays. I will definitely try to reduce the time period in updating my story.

My story will move very slowly from one chapter to another. The reason is I don't like to jump scenes and I love details when writing. I hope I did not bore anyone with the slow moving scene.

Don't worry, I have bought a time travel machine and I have decided to use it now. If you are done reading chapter 14 and reviewing it, come and hop into this special custom made 'Lily time travel machine'. Once all readers have checked in, we will start our journey and jump to a month after the 'shoulder ride' moment.

So don't be left behind, be sure to check in fast! See ya!

P/S – Congratulation to **'Stelra Etnae'** you are the **100th** reviewer of the Lily of the Valley.

Thank you to all the reviewers who stayed loyal to my story. Without you all I could have never achieved **116 reviews**, **41 story alerts**, **38 favorites** and **9,683 hits**. You guys are my strength and support. ***hugs*** and ***kisses*** for everyone.

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**Anonymous review reply:**

**Naala: **Awww thank you so much for your review and wishes. The holiday was great and I enjoyed it. It was my pleasure to have you check on my story in daily basic. I will definitely reduce the time period to update this story. I promise and enjoy chapter 14. Stay tune dear

**Jolie: **Thank you for your review dear Jolie. I am glad that you love the family scene. It was tough to write and express what I wish to tell and I am glad it turns out good and the reader feel the bond between them. Exactly, Rin doesn't have reason to reject him and Aito certainly needs to know about his father. I promise to reduce the time period on updating. Thanks for being patient with my slowness. Job hunting is tough and I have given up though, I shall stick with my current job then.

**jellisa a.k.a rin**: Hi jellisa, thank so much for stopping by to read and review my story.

**Divine Rose: **Awww Di, you are so sweet for reviewing all my chapters. I see what you mean by Ryuuki and we are not done yet with him. The leopard will return and maybe in 2 more chapters. Thank you Di, your details reviews encourage me to write more. I know my chapter 14 didn't pay off the long wait. I am sorry for that.

**elusivequeenbee: **Hi dear, thank you so much for your 'twice review' I feel bad that you have came and check on my recent update and didn't see one. Sorry dear please forgive my slowness in updating ok? I know this chapter didn't pay off the long wait. I will work on the next one real soon.

Glad that you love the scene between them as a family. I know what you mean about laying beside your lover without thinking adult things. Sesshoumaru's heart was broken when Rin injured so with all the worried and cares he manage to control himself very well. I tried my level best to picture the scene and glad that it turns out well.

Oh no problem about the paragraph. You are right about it and I actually agree with you too. So I have made several changes about it. Let me know if it is easier to follow now? You can tell me anything if you think it is not comfortable while reading my story. I set no barrier around me. Feel free to tell me anything. If you have an account you can message me. I will certainly try my best especially in explaining about Aito.

You're welcome. I am glad that I was able to share my imagination with all Sesshoumaru/Rin fans. Enjoy the chapter.

**songhamitra: **Hi there thanks for your review Yes lovey-dovey in Sesshoumaru's way will be there. I will try my best to write it. Oh by the way what do you mean by 'that way'? You mean Sesshoumaru shouldn't sleep at Rin's side? He shouldn't hug her? Or do you refer to the wound cleaning? Let me know which part you feel uncomfortable I shall try to explain to you. About the demon who kisses Rin , Ryuuki will be back. You want him to be a bad cat? Lol well basically, he is not really a negative character. He is just a man who loves Rin and wish to take care of her. Is more like a one sided love. If I make him the real bad cat, Sesshoumaru might end up killing him. In fact 'Lily of the Valley' is mainly about the return of happiness. I shall see what I can do with Ryuuki. Thank you for your suggestion. I appreciate it.

**New at this: **You have finally created an account here. Thanks for adding me to your favorite author list.


	15. Foolish love

**Author notes:**

Parked my time travel machine aside, sorry our 2 weeks journey has taken way longer than I have expected. Almost a month of journey, and now here I present...

Lily of the Valley, chapter 15 titles 'Foolish Love'

This chapter is dedicated to Taraah36. Happy Birthday girl! I hope you have a fabulous day. Cheer!

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**Chapter notes:**

"_**Humans and demons live in a different world**__._ _He is an evil spirit, he is a demon. Not someone a human child should follow. But why? Why did she go? Why did she live with him...?"_

_By~ Master Ungai from Inuyasha episode 162_

'_Forever with Lord Sesshoumaru'_

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The Lily of the Valley signifies **_"The Return of Happiness" _**

**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi.**_

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**Chapter 15 – Foolish love**

Sesshoumaru pulls the blanket up to Rin's shoulder to ensure that she stays warm. Another day has started as the sun appears from the horizon and replaces the dawn. His son Aito has just left to the river to wash himself up while his Rin is still slumbering peacefully. The demon lord is sitting at the side of the bed watching the girl attentively. He reaches out with one of his hands and tenderly brushes the girl's left cheeks. Her lips curl into a small smile as if she is responding to her lord's touch. The Taiyoukai wonders what dream can make his precious ward smile so blissfully happy.

A month has passed after the horrible attack that happened to Rin and Aito. The girl's nightmares have reduced gradually and since then Sesshoumaru has stopped laying at rin's side during night time. He wishes to embrace the duo every night while they are resting but considering the limitation in space on the bed, he thinks it would be best to let the two sleep comfortably with ample space to move around.

Another moment of intense observation over the girl earns a smirks on the demon lord's face. After a month under his attentive care, Rin has become much healthier compared to the day he found her in the forest. He doesn't need to wrap his arms around the girl's waist to feel the small gain in weight that she has. Although she still eats very little, she has at least three meals in a day without fail and the outcome is certainly pleasing the Taiyoukai. Humans are such fragile creatures and health is such a precious thing to keep their life spans longer. As for Sesshoumaru, he would do anything to maintain Rin's healthiness until he is able to mark the girl officially, that's when she will share his life span. _Soon ... _He whispers as one of his hands gently strokes the girl's head.

Sesshoumaru is satisfied in checking the girl, he walks out from the hut and finds his son busy gathering hale bays. Out of curiosity he approaches upto Aito' side as the kid raises his head up to smile toothily at the Taiyoukai.

"What are you doing?" The demon lord places his left hand on top of the boy's head. The scarf is no longer wrapped around his head.

"I want to make a comfortable bed for Jaken." The boy remarks as he stills addresses the green kappa without a title. The Taiyoukai with an inquisitive mind raises his eyebrows at his son. Aito senses his lord's questionable emotion as he continues, "Winter is coming and I want him to have a warm place to sleep at night." The kid's comment almost makes the young lord chuckle. Aito's softer side is definitely inherited from Rin. He is not concerned whether the softness is going to weaken his son for he knows that once he has given the kid the proper amount of training, Aito will become just as strong as him.

"That's very interesting. Go on and complete your task." Sesshoumaru walks to the nearby trees as he picks his favorite spot and rests under a giant tree. While watching his son running in and out of the hut, the demon lord thinks about the boy's personality. _Very interesting combination._ He thinks, because Aito certainly looks so much like the Taiyoukai but the boy personality wise is a perfect blend well between him and Rin. While Sesshoumaru isn't the type of person who shows much emotions, Aito on the other hand is full of ups and downs; he would be upset when he worried, he would cry when sad and he laughs when he rejoices. Due to this fact, the demon lord will definitely have to be careful while communicating with his son, he has to learn more about his needs and how the boy feels all the time. Unlike the half demons, a pure Inuyoukai pup would be quite handy for it's just pretty much the same way how the great Lord Inu no Taisho had raisesd him up. But this isn't going to be something that will discourage the Taiyoukai from knowing his son inside out. He is determined to become a good father and definitely a good husband for Rin.

Aito quickly gets into the hut and sets up his little surprise for the green kappa. He covers the hay with his old cloth and folds a small blanket on top of it. Once satisfied, he stands in front of the small bed and grins. "Hah! Jaken will love it! Yippie!" He quickly covers his mouth with both of his hands and turns to the angle of the bed. Once he spot his mother didn't move, Aito sighs in relief and carefully steps out of the hut.

He runs excitedly and sits closely next to the Taiyoukai. A month after he got his first shoulder ride, the boy spends most of his time with the demon lord. Be it for hunting purpose, helping his mother or sleeping, his lord will always be by his side. He often rides on the Taiyoukai's shoulder on many occasions and sometimes even ends up falling asleep in his arms. Each day is like a new day for Aito; he would wake extremely early and eagerly wait for the sun to rise instead of letting the sun to wake him up. Sesshoumaru has taught the boy some new skills for hunting, although the kid has known quite a few ways to hunt but most of it are quite random without a proper way. Under the demon lord's guidance and supervision, the boy has mastered his skills due to which his hunting times have reduce a lot.

There are times when both of them are alone; the kid would ask many questions especially about how the demon lord met his mother. Sesshoumaru would never disappoint his son, he always tells everything in details and the boy would listen enthusiastically.

Aito stares at the demon lord's emotionless face, he just loves to admire his lord's face because he resembles the guardian angel that used to appear in his dreams whenever he was in danger and needed help. It is at this moment, Aito's mind relaxes, his thoughts wander to all the times he had spent with the dog demon for the pass month. He then smiles with his eyes shut at the memories of his first shoulder ride. Unknowingly, he reaches out his left hand and grabs on Sesshoumaru's sleeve with his mouth murmuring a word. The taiyoukai instantly turns to his son, his gaze locks at the kid's happy face. As the demon lord is about to shift his hand to touch the boy, his ears catch a very precious word.

"Father." Aito continues murmuring with his hand still gripping on the demon lord's sleeve with his smile now turning into loud chuckles.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" The green toad yells not far away from the forest. His loud voice has snaps the kid's attention back to reality as he loosens his grip on the Taiyoukai's sleeve. He raises his head up to find a pair of warm golden orbs staring at him. He smiles shyly at his lord while Sesshoumaru strokes his son's hair with his mind cursing his companion. _Damn you Jaken, spoiled the best moment._

"Ah my lord you are here, I have prepared all the things you asked me to do." The little kappa comments proudly.

"Very well then now vanish from my sight until I summon you." Jaken's eyes widen in disbelief. His jaw drops as Aito too looks at the demon lord's serious face.

"Be gone!" The green toad instantly speeds to the nearby bushes and hides from the view of the Taiyoukai while he tries to figure out what he has done to upset his lord.

"Aito, do you want to test your new skill?" Sesshoumaru asks with a smirk. The boy jumps to his feet as he nods eagerly.

"Go and catch Jaken. You should be able to get him without being noticed if you use what I have taught you before." Aito straightens his back with his chest puffing out in pride.

"Yes my lord! I will not disappoint you." The kid exclaims as he walks slowly to the direction of where the green kappa hid. With his careful steps and slow movements he manages to reach at the bushes where the toad is hiding. In an instant, he reaches out with both of his hands and drags the kappa out from the bushes.

"Look Lord Sesshoumaru! I did it! He didn't notice I was nearby. Yippie!" Aito jumps merrily with victorious laughter while the green toad is struggling to free from the boy's grip. The taiyoukai smirks as he enjoys the scene of how this little revenge was carried out by his son, a revenge for the earlier interruption while the demon lord enjoyed the moment of 'father and son'.

Rin awakes by the sounds of her son's laughter. She rolls her eyes to the left and notices the sun shining brightly in the entire hut. Another brighter day has started with cheerful laughter from her precious son. Her lips curls into grateful smiles, nothing is more important than her son's happiness. It's been quite a while she didn't see her son laugh as happy as today and she wonders what Lord Sesshoumaru has done to cheer the kid up.

She rises slowly to a sitting position with the help of her elbow. A month has passed after the disastrous incident; although she is still recovering from minor bone fractures the wounds on her body have completely healed up. She sits at the edge of her bed with her bare feet touching the floor. Slowly the girl uses all her strength from her arms and tries to stands up, she manages to balance herself with the support from the wall.

Rin then walks slowly to the window and stares at the world outside. Ever since she was injured, Sesshoumaru has strictly forbidden the girl to leave her bed without his presence. He will personally carry the girl to the dining table for her meals and to the river to wash herself. In the first two weeks of the month, the Taiyoukai would even help the girl to clean herself because he didn't want her to move too much which he thinks would will helps the girl to have a speedy recovery. In the recent week, Rin has expressed that she feels much better and wishes to bath on her own. Reluctantly, the demon lord approved the girl's request with a condition that he must be allowed to stay nearby and watch her in the entire cleaning session. After a long thought, the girl has no objections as she agreed with it.

Rin stretches out her right hand to part the window wider as she spots her son running around with the staff of two heads in his hand. While the little green toad chases the boy and begs for his staff. The girl chuckles at the duo, she wishes to stop her son but the scene is too perfect to be spoiled. She then leans to her left and continues watching the kid teasing the little kappa. _Poor master Jaken._ The girl whispers with a grin.

Her hazelnut eyes scans the surroundings; a light breeze blows the wild flowers to the west while the birds chirp happily under the warm clear cloudless blue skies. Rin sighs sadly; she has missed all this beautiful scenery and her lifespan is too short to be wasted on the bed. Her gaze pauses at the silver haired young demon lord who stares emotionlessly in the direction of the river.

"Lord Sesshoumaru." Rin whispers her lord's name softly. She realize that Aito is growing fonder with the demon lord over the past one month. The blood bond that ties them has to be revealed soon and Rin knows that this day is getting closer; she will have to face this issue with her son. The girl sighs as she continues watching her son playing with the kappa.

The whole afternoon passes pretty normally, just like the usual days. Rin returns to her bed and rests before Aito and Sesshoumaru return to the hut with foods. She is carried by the demon lord once again to the dining table for her lunch meal with her son. They have been eating food from the kitchen for the pass two weeks. Tsuyu had visited Rin 2 weeks ago but the lady mentioned nothing about the Taiyoukai's sudden visit. She merely claimed her visit was out of worry since the girl didn't show up at the kitchen. They talked about the attack form the brothers but Tsuyu didn't reveal about the demon lord's suspicions on Lady Onna. Before the lady left the hut, she had approached the young lord and informed him about her investigations over the incident. She then promised to cook for Rin and Aito until the girl fully recovers.

Evening passes peacefully with Aito continuing to bug the green toad while the young demon lord chooses to stay in the hut watching over his Rin resting. When the sun's disk disappears below the horizon in the west, a warm starry night fall with crescent moon shines beautifully reflecting over the surface of the river.

Sesshoumaru rests at the nearby river after Rin and Aito having finished their dinner. Jaken has retired for the day as he slumbers peacefully in his new bed. When the kid showed his custom made bed to the little kappa earlier, he was astounded in awe. The boy might always seem to have created a lot of troubles for him but just like Rin the kid cares for his well being in a way which he has never been treated like this before by the great lord of the westerns land.

Aito steals a glance at the green toad in deep sleep and grins happily before he moves to the bed and curls up under his mother's arms. Rin turns to face his son as she cradles him closer to her chest and hugs the boy. Aito lifts his head and smile to her mother.

"I see that you had lots of fun today my son." She gently strokes her son's hair as she speaks.

"Mother, I managed to catch Jaken without him noticing my presence. I know how to control my steps and movements I am so happy!" Aito exclaims excitedly. Rin can't help but to chuckle at her son's gestures. She is truly overjoyed to know that her son is having such a great time while she is unable to be with him.

"You're fantastic my dear son but you will still need to address master Jaken with a title. You understand?" The boy narrows his eyes and curls his lips to one side in annoyance. He sighs in dissatisfaction but slightly nods in acceptance and remains silent. Rin smiles as she presses a light kiss on the kid's forehead. Aito then begins to drown in his own thoughts. A moment passes without words and the boy is the first one to break the silence with a rather startling question.

"Mother, will Lord Sesshoumaru ever leave us again? Aito loves to live with my lord. He taught me a lot of things and I want to grow up to be a strong man like him."

Rin is startled at her son's totally unexpected question. Her eyes widen with her jaw frozen. Another short silence falls between them until the kid speaks again and this time his voice is rather low like a whisper.

"Ev-ery moment I share with my lord, is even better than the moment before. If every day was as good as today, I can't wait till tomorrow comes. If he is going to leave, Aito prays that the moment we have now will last forever."

The girl's hazelnut eyes are now glassing over with unshed tears. She doesn't know how to reply as guilt kicks in her heart. A few drops of salty tears fall and wet the girl's cheeks. She tries to not breakdown because this isn't the right time to feel guilty. She slips one of her hands around the boy's waist and hugs him tightly.

"Aito." Rin whispers softly into her son's ear.

"Hmmm" The boy merely murmurs.

"Son no matter what happens in the future, please don't hate mother. I always love you." No reply from the kid as the girl turns and checks on her son, he has fallen asleep peacefully. Rin wraps the blanket around her son as she slowly leaves the bed and walks to the door. She pauses a while to turn and look at the green kappa who has peacefully slumbered on his new bed. She then bends a little to pull the blanket up to the imp's shoulder before leaving the hut.

The light wind caressing her cheeks sends chills all over her body. Rin freezes her steps as she crosses her arms around her chest to hide her cold hands. A pair of warm hazelnut eyes searches over the environment to locate the Taiyoukai's whereabouts. Her eyes spot the demon lord resting at the nearby river. As she moves further another light breeze blows over. The girl starts to shiver and wishes to return to the hut but her desire to speak to her lord and clear some doubts encourages her to continue on. _I have to speak to Lord Sesshoumaru._ Rin whispers as she walks slowly to the river with her arms crossed tightly around her chest.

Sesshoumaru is startled when his nose picks up Rin's scent. He turns to finds the girl standing not far away from him. She has her arms tightly crosses around her chest as she smiles at the demon lord. The taiyoukai notices that the girl is shivering. He walks over to her side with his arms stretched wide open and wraps around her cold body, shielding her from the strong wind blowing.

"You are not permitted to come here Rin; you should rest on the bed as I strongly advised." The young lord states worriedly.

"I feel much better my lord, besides such a small distance in walking won't hurt me much. I don't feel any pain." The girl tries to convince her lord who is definitely paranoid at the moment.

"Come, you shouldn't stay here too long. It is cold out here." Sesshoumaru is about to lead Rin back to the hut but the girl grabs on the demon lord's arm and stops him in his tracks.

"Please my lord, let me stay here for a while. I have missed so many beautiful nights. My life is too short to be wasted on bed." She pleads innocently like a lost puppy and the Taiyoukai is having a difficult time rejecting her wish. He nods lightly in approval as the girl returns a delightful smile to her lord. They then move to the place where the demon lord was rested earlier. Rin sits closely in front of Sesshoumaru in between his legs as her head rests on her lord's right shoulder; the demon lord wraps his arms securely to ensure the girl stays warm.

Light wind blows continuously as Rin admires the beautiful crescent moon shining all over the river as it has created an amazing reflection on the surface. Her lips curl into a small satisfactory smile as she truly enjoys the scenery.

"Where's Aito?" Sesshoumaru breaks the silence.

"He is already sleeping. We barely chatted, I guess he is tired." She replies softly with her eyes still glued at the sight of the crescent moon.

"He is such an active boy; I wouldn't be surprised if he's off to bed early everyday. Running around and turning the world up side down." The demon lord smirks at his own remarks, proud to be the father of the kid.

"Yes, even when he was just 5 months old in my womb, he was actively kicking me." She chuckles before continuing, "That's how I guessed my baby had to be a son, strong and healthy. That's what Tsuyu san always said." The Taiyoukai's heart aches at the girl's statement. He has missed such a beautiful moment in his life. He sighs with disappointment as he tightens the hold around the girl's waist.

"Aito is smart; he knows how to utilize his senses with the surrounding. He uses his sharp sight to catch the victim, although he is still lacks the speed but he captures the movements of his prey with his sensitive ears, very much like me when I was a pup. He is an outstanding pup at the age of four. He will definitely become much stronger with the proper guidance." Words of compliments pour from the demon lord's mouth as he proudly highlights his son's talents. Rin grins sheepishly.

"I try to avoid showing my sadness whenever we have encountered problems, but it seems that he can sense everything through his keen nose. I feel so sorry for Aito for he has to witness so many unfortunate things in his life at a young age. He deserves a better life which I failed to provide him." She speaks with melancholy tunes as the demon lord can distinctly smell the scent of tears and gloom emanating from her body.

"My son is strong and all that hardships he has gone through will strengthen him mentally. All pups are meant to face lots of challenges at early ages without their mother, but you stayed with him all the time and that's more than enough. The most precious thing is the affection from your loved one." He kisses at the top of the girl's head while Rin shuts her eyes off as she smiles blissfully with her hands squeezes gently over the Taiyoukai's hands.

Suddenly, Rin shoots her eyes wide open. The conversation with her lord seems awkward at this point. _A pup? My son? OH NO! Could it be that Lord Sesshoumaru knows about..!_ The girl screams in her head.

Sesshoumaru notices the changes of emotion from the girl; her heart beats race rapidly as panic takes over her mind.

"Yes I know about Aito." A calm voice comes from the back of the startled girl staggering her mind. Rin's jaw drops and she freezes up.

"H-o-ow ... ?" Her lower tones of inquiries are almost unheard but it doesn't miss out from the demon lord's keen sense of hearing.

"The night when you were attacked, I was resting in the forest not far away from here. There was a helpless little voice calling out for help through some strong mysterious power. To be able to summon me through this way, that person has to be connected with me through blood line. This means is it either my bloodline or my mate. I strongly thought it was you who was in danger but then I realized I didn't mark you and there's no way we could have such a bond between us; that's when Aito came into the pictures since ..." He pauses and thinks of the consequences of his upcoming words. Rin turns abruptly to face her lord in bewilderment.

'Since?" She query in eagerness.

"Since I have detected a mild sense of mine around Aito the day you introduced him to me at the hut." The girl's eyes blur with unshed tears as her heart is despondent.

"What happened next?" She adds softly.

"Discomfort arose as I decided to search for the direction of the weak audible as to where it came from. It took me to another forest, when I arrived, I could see weak flames circling around Aito. No one else was there but I could smell a loser in panic which I believe he had fled out of fear with boy's appearance." She inches her face towards her lord.

"Aito revealed his demon self?" She exclaims stunned.

"Yes, although it vanished quickly but the magenta strips on his cheeks, the shape of his ears and the blue crescent moon on his forehead were clearly visible. His demon scents like mine were strong and completely different from the mild scent I caught earlier. When the flames disappeared together with all the features, he collapsed in my arms." Sesshoumaru trails his claw finger and brushes the girl's left cheek before he continues.

"That's how I confirmed Aito is the son of this Sesshoumaru of the west."

Rin catches the demon lord's hand and stops him from caresses her cheek as she asks seriously.

"If you knew the possibilities that Aito might be your son, why were you leaving me without any word?" The Taiyoukai gasps at her question but remains impassive. He isn't sure whether it is a wise idea to talk about the worthless cat.

"You think that I have betrayed you for another man? And that explains your sudden departure?" The girl slightly increases her tone but the demon lord instantly declines her statement.

"No, that's not the reason why I left." He pauses as he feels so reluctant to mention about the leopard at this moment. As his golden gazes fell on her curios stare, the demon lord knows well to not hide anything from the girl.

"I met a leopard demon when Aito was hunting." Rin's brown eyes widen in astonishment.

"He told me you had accepted his proposal and to not bother your life and clouded your judgment." The girl immediately turns to fully face her lord as she rises onto her knees with her hands on the demon lord's shoulders while his strong arms support the girl's back.

"And you didn't care to clarify with me? Not even wish to wait a little longer until I came back from the kitchen? I thought we had made a promise to speak to each other the night before. You rather go away without even wishing to learn more about Aito? Why?" She asks firmly, as it almost sounds like a scream. But the Taiyoukai didn't mind, he knows he made a mistake trusting the stupid cat.

A short silence falls as the air around them tenses up. Sesshoumaru is a well known dog demon with a pride, many think that the western lord could sacrifice everything if his pride was wounded. But none of them even close to understanding the demon lord. When the Taiyoukai encountered with Ryuuki, the egotism almost didn't exist, it was not a question of pride that he left, it was mainly due to being lost and puzzled that lead him to a wrong decision.

"I have no idea to why you had to leave me without a word right after the night you had surrendered yourself to me. Can you imagine the greatest fear at the moment when I found you were missing from the castle?" He growl softly and grabs on the girl's wrist tightly as he continues, "None of the worthless servants knew your whereabouts, and you just disappeared without a trace. How could that have happened? I thought when the sun shines the next day, everything will return to normal. It didn't! Did I not treat you good enough until you had to do such a thing to me? Or are you just happy to make fun of this great dog demon who sacrificed his whole life for you?" Sesshoumaru growls furiously as he holds the girl's hands firmly and slightly pulls her close to him in a bit out of control violent gesture.

"No, I didn't make fun of you, how could I ever do such a thing, I love you more than I can ever think off, there is no way I could ever doubt your care. I swear!" She weeps painfully not due to her bone fractures but due to her heart being shattered into million peaces.

The demon lord releases his grip on the girl's wrists, he instantly regrets his harshness. _What on earth I have done?_ He curses himself for hurting the fragile girl. He immediately embraces her tightly and apologizes. With her head resting on his right shoulder on top of the mokomoko, he can hear her sorrowful weeps.

"Rin, I am sorry, I couldn't control my rage. Did I hurt you? Do you feel any discomfort?" He asks worriedly but the girl shakes to indicate no. The Taiyoukai strokes her back try to calm the girl down. He hates to see her cry but he has just hurt her with his most tormenting statements.

"When I found you in the forest, my heart was broken. You were so fragile; I couldn't imagine what kind of life you had live through without me. But you acted so different on that day; you were very reserved and hardly spoken. And then I was lost. Could it be that you have grown tired to live with me and that you wished to start a new life?" Rin sniffs harder on Sesshoumaru's shoulder.

"When the leopard warned me to stay away from you," his voice softens as it sounds like he is tired, "I know I was not in the position to decide. It's not that I didn't care to clarify, but I do not wish to see your heart torn apart yet again forced to make another decision. "In the end," Sesshoumaru echos softly as he cups the girl cheeks and turns her face to meet his gaze before continuing, "no matter which path you have chosen, as long as you are happy and safe, it is more than enough for me."

Rin throws her arms around the demon lord's neck upon his reply as she cries her heart out. The Taiyoukai returns a tight hug as he wraps one of his arms around the girl's back with another hand gently stroking her back. His heart is despondent to watch the girl weeping over and over again.

_What am I doing? Who am I to question Lord Sesshoumaru? I was not in the position to even ask him to clarify anything with me. I was the one who left him first; I was the one who caused my lord to leave his land and search for me. I was the one who broke the trust between us._

The girl curses herself as she speaks the only thing that comes across her mind now. The word that she meant to say the moment she left the western palace.

"I-I am so-r-ry my lord, so so so sorry. I-I didn't mean to leave you without a word. But... I had no choice." She cries her apologetic heart out as she continues wailing in suffering. Her words are mostly breaking up and unclear, with lumps filling her throat. Noticing the girl struggling, the Taiyoukai sighs heartbroken. He shakes his head a little before he burying his nose into the girl's hair.

"It wouldn't matter why you departed. What happened has happen. It's over now, let's go home Rin." He whispers softly into her right ear but the response from the girl seem to raise doubts in the demon lord. Her head constantly gestures form left to right.

"No, I can't ... do that. I just couldn't afford to do that..." She rejects agonizingly. Sesshoumaru's golden eyes widens in astonishment.

"Why? Would you rather to go with the leopard instead?" He inquires sternly.

"NO! NO!" She yells as her breath becomes uneasy. "Master Ryuuki is kind, he is my savior and I can never see him as more than just a friend!" Rin exclaims angrily as she tightens her arms around the demon lord's neck.

The Taiyoukai sighs in relief, knowing that what Rin thinks about the cat is definitely important. At least when they will encounter with each other again, he will not hesitate to be more merciless. He continues to stroke on the girl's back, her sniffs are getting harder, her breath is getting uneasy while her heart beats is extremely abnormally. She has taken too much energy to cry and she is yet to fully recover. Right now, the demon lord wishes to ceases his wish to find out about the girl's refusal but he is not going to stay calm without knowing what's plaguing his precious ward's mind.

"Then tell me Rin, why wouldn't you want to return with me?" He whispers softly and it almost sounds like tiring.

"I lost my family at the age of 7. I was lucky to have the villagers take me and provide me shelter and food. I know life is tough and I never demand. I want to be an ordinary girl, to grow up to learn how to love and being loved. My life is brightening by you my lord; you gave me life when I had no right to live. You gave me happiness and company by allowing me to follow you. When I was given a choice to be with you again, I knew I had chosen the right path." The girl pauses to breathe as she continues.

"When I noticed my feeling has change especially the way I see my lord, I thought I was going to die. Am I permitted to love someone who watched me grown up? I am puzzled; I struggled to face my own dilemma. When you summoned me to your bed chamber that night, I could see hope in your warm eyes and you returned my love without hesitation. I was blessed my lord; your gentle touch is filled with protection, undivided love and affection. When your lips sealed against mine, I could feel the trust and when we were united under the beautiful moonlight, I could feel the future that held for us, a family that I always wished to build, my own family. But ... this was just a foolish love of mine." As she buries her head again on his mokomoko, Seshoumaru's heart burrows in depression.

"Ridiculous, how can you name it foolish after such a beautiful union. Don't say such a silly thing." He buries his nose in between her dark raven hair, inhaling her fearful scent.

"It is foolish because I was forbidden to fall for you. Because of who you are and who I am. It was the fate that I was not able to fight, not some human being my lord." Her answer is getting on the Taiyoukai's nerves. _What on earth is she thinking about?_ Slowly he pulls the girl away from his shoulder and looks at her face.

"What are you talking about Rin? Where did you hear this from? Forbidden? I know nothing about the word; I Sesshoumaru will get whatever thing I wished in this world. There is no such thing called fate. I hold the destiny and fate in my own hands." The Taiyoukai presses firmly but the girl shakes her head lightly in disappointment.

"Lord Sesshoumaru is kind, but Rin is a merely bad human. I was so glad that you didn't mark me on that night, or else I would have already leaded you down a wrong path and destroyed your life. Please forgive me my lord." Rin desperately wipes the tears away with her kimono sleeves.

Sesshoumaru's golden orbs widen with his jaw dropping in disbelief and completely stunned by the girl's statement. _Who the hell in this world would have told her such a ridiculous thing? _Anger rushes into his thought as blood is boiling in his veins.

"You're not leading me down a wrong path and what have you done to destroy my life? By giving me a son?" Rin's tired eyes meet with Sesshoumaru furious eyes. She can feel her heart beating rather slow; her body is aching as she loosing almost all strength in her knees and arms. Her head is paining, while her mind is blurry. She wishes to explain further but her jaws are unwilling to co-operate, it is at this moment Sesshoumaru's voice knocks the girl back to reality.

"When we return to the western palace, I will officially take you as my mate. Through the ritual marking, you will become an immortal, that's when you will share my lifespan. We will walk this life together with Aito and our future kids." Rin covers her ears with both of her hands as she starts to shake her head violently.

"No! My lord you can not take me as your mate, that's the biggest mistake you could ever make. You are the heir of the great dog demon Lord Inu Taisho, you can not abolish the traditional marriage between demons. Can't you understand that?" She cries out the most painful words that she has kept in within her heart for so many years. Sesshoumaru growls out loud in fury.

"Abolish the tradition of marriage? Where did you hear than from? Besides it was my father, who altered the tradition at first, not me" He hisses in disagreement.

"You're wrong my lord, your father mated with Lady Izayoi and took her as a mistress not his life mate. But you my lord, you will be the first of your kind to have a life mate from a different breed if you choose me. How will the whole clan look at you? You have chased powers for life and I will not let myself to destroy your efforts. I just can't afford to mislead your path. Sorry ..." Upon explaining that, the girl turns abruptly and is about to leave but Sesshoumaru grabs onto her left arm and alters her movement.

"Do not walk away from my life Rin." He roars and encircles his arms securely around the girl's waist. Suddenly, the girl feels that her chest is extremely painful. She raises one of her hands and presses over her chest. Her face turns pale as her eyes shut off in pain. She wishes to call out but her mind instantly goes blank.

Sesshoumaru spotting Rin leaning to the back with her eyes shut, instantly catches the girl and cradles her close to his chest. She looks extremely pale, her face expression wears one of pain.

"Rin, can you hear me?" He calls apprehensively with one of his hands gently patting on her right cheek. He gets no response. The demon lord assumes the girl has fainted out of exhaustion. He bends a little to presses his lips on the girl's forehead. He curses himself for allowing the conversation to go on when he has caught the girl's scent changing with her heart beating abnormally. Sesshoumaru carries the girl in bridal style as he walks back to the hut.

_Rin is such an innocent girl. She has suffered a lot during her childhood and now she has to face all these hardships alone. My fault, I let her to be exposed to all this danger. All she wishes for is a simple family. Who would have known her life during pregnancy and all the efforts in raising Aito. Aito ... my son is named after the affection she has towards me. _Sesshoumaru turns to face his poor Rin, his golden orbs scans the girl's unwell face.

_Who on earth could have such power to control Rin's mind by passing down such ridiculous information? _Sesshoumaru whispers angrily.

_Whoever is involved in kicking Rin away from my side is going to have a confrontation with me. There is no forgiveness for those who wish to harm my sweet innocent Rin. _The Taiyoukai states as he enters the entrance of the hut.

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**Chapter end notes:**

I am terribly sorry for this slow update. Life just isn't as smooth as I want it to be. But I survive. This chapter isn't great enough to repay my slowness but I hope you guys enjoy it. This is by far the hardest chapter to write. I have edited this for at least 5 times because the idea doesn't flow well. I am so eagerly to hear from everyone about this chapter.

Until then I always welcome all type of reviews. Thank you to all the reviewers who stayed loyal to my story. (^_^) it means a lot to me. You guys are my strength and support. *hugs* and *kisses* for everyone.

Next chapter: _**'Sesshoumaru vs Ryuuki'**_

Hey guys, Caraline Fisher (well known as 'New at this') have dedicated a story to me. The storyline is very interesting and I love it so much! The story title is 'Unknown for now' Follow the link below to read her dedication:- (reduce the space to get the proper link)

h t t p : / / w w w .fan fiction. net/u/2738004/

P/s: I have opened a Lily of the Valley contest on Deviantart, which the artist will draw Sesshoumaru/ Rin and Aito in any environment of their choice.

I have received the very first entry from Nstone53, and she is such a talented and awesome artist. Have you ever wondered how skinny Rin is when Sesshoumaru found her in the forest? Have you ever wondered how Aito looks like? Now follow the link below to see this very awesome picture of them ... Drawn by my best friend, Nstone53! Drops your comments for her if you have a DA account. She deserves to have more comments for her beautiful work. (^_^) (reduce the space to get the proper link)

= h t t p : / / nstone53. deviantart. com/#/d39eq1f =

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**Anonymous review reply:**

**Jolie: **Thank you for your review dear. Yes Ryuuki is back in the next chapter. Is time to reveal another 'thing' ... Oh he will cause some trouble but by reading this chapter, you would know that no matter what he does it will be futile. Aito will know about Sesshoumaru and they will return to the castle ... very soon... I promise (^_^) I hope you enjoy this chapter dear. How's life at your end? I hope everything goes well there dear... Take care.

**Naala: **Thank you so much for the review dear, I am glad that you feel the last chapter is sweet. Thank you for not getting bored with my details. I will do my best to not disappoint you (^_^) How's life? I hope you doing good dear. Take care.

**elusivequeenbee: **Thank you for your review dear, yes those first time moments are so valuable, all parents would not want to miss out. LOL I am glad you like the answer from Sesshoumaru. Hehe 'Much more than that' well when you speak to a kid you have to use children 'term' LOL they will only understand with such reply.

LOL Aito will turn the cold dog demon into a big fluffy thing eh? Sure why not... he is after all already spoil by Sesshoumaru. Oh wait LOL nooooo, how can you survive with Rin is out of picture? haha

Alright then tell me what you think in this chapter. You have got Sessh/Aito moments and now I brought Sesshy/Rin moments for you... Hmmmm I am so eagerly to hear what you think about this chapter LOL I love the idea of Sesshy/Aito pairing. So how's life dear? I hope you going great. Until then take care (^_^)

**Divine Rose: **Di thank you so much for your support and review (^_^) Glad that you like the Aito/Jaken part, well my fiancé said I bully Jaken too much! LOL I disagree! Well Di, I am going to said again, thanks for turning me into Sephiroth fans! Yay! Yay! Alright let's continue chatting at our secret place... hahah!


	16. Sesshoumaru vs Ryuuki

**Author notes: **

Hey my dear readers,

Sorry for the delay, I have got the chapter ready but was unable to upload due to the technical error with Fan Fiction site.

Fan fiction is having some technical difficulties, it prevents authors the authors from editing their stories and as well as update. Though the problems only affect the popular categories like Inuyasha, Bleach, Harry Potter etc. One of this author name 'wolfranger2003' has taught me a way updates my story through a work around. So if you guys are authors and face the same issue feel free to drop me a message I shall pass down the information from 'wolfranger2003' to everyone. Take care guys! And enjoy the chapter 16 (^_^)

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**Chapter notes:**

_When you love someone,_

_You'll feel it deep inside and nothing else can ever change your mind._

_You'll do all the crazy things that you can't explain and deny the truth believe a lie._

_There'll be times that you'll believe, you can really fly._

_You'd give it everything you got and you won't think twice._

_You'd risk it all - no matter what may come... _

_You'll sacrifice..._

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The Lily of the Valley signifies **_"The Return of Happiness"_**

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**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi.**_

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**Chapter 16 – Sesshoumaru vs Ryuuki  
**

A strong wind blow sends uncomfortable chills through Aito's body. He is in the middle of an unknown thick forest and is surrounded by at least a hundred or more demons. The boy observes carefully without panicking; He can see some bulls, toads, dragons and panthers. He can even whiff some bats pouting around the trees.

Sweat beads are visible on both sides of the kid's face as he knows there is no way he can escape. Aito swallows hard as he braves himself a little forward to the front and speaks.

"What business do I have with you all?" exclaims the boy. He then notices the panther group splitting into two as they make a way for another cat demon to appear from behind.

"We will use him as a bait to lure Sesshoumaru out. What do you think brothers?" The cat suggest as he smirks victoriously. The demons around the forest all hail in unison _Go for it! Go for it!_

Aito steps backwards as sweat continues to discharge on the sides of his face. Running will be futile now and the boy thinks he might have to try to confront as many demons as possible. In an instant, a group of 4 toads charge out of no where. The kid manages to sense the direction of the charge as he speeds in the opposite direction. Four bulls are now lined up in front of the nervous boy.

"Ah hah, nothing least expected from the son of a dog demon. Looks like we will have some fun little boy. Everyone attack at once!" Yells the cat as Aito notices all groups of demons now dashing in his direction. _Lord Sesshoumaru!_ A green light appears and swiftly takes down all demons in one go. The boy turns his head up and sees a large dog demon, his guardian angel is here to protect him as always.

As his guardian angel lands in front of the boy, Aito runs quickly at his side but unknown to him one of the panthers has still survived. The cat transforms into his real form charging at the back of the kid, immediately the dog demon leaps ahead of Aito and shields the attack. The cat's raises his left arm to form a spear-head and using his sharp shining claws he pierces through the dog demon's right shoulder.

Aito turns to his back and sees blood splashed over the forest floor. His eyes widen as he screams out loud.

"FATHER!"

Aito jerks up at his own screams, tears stream down his cheeks as he sniffs heavily. He then feels a strong hand firmly pressing on his right shoulder. The boy turns to the side to see a hand with magenta strips. He raises his head to see a concerned Sesshoumaru watching him. The kid bits his lower lips with his jaw shaking a little as he continues sniffing. The Taiyoukai shifts his hand from the boy's shoulder and gently strokes on the top of the poor kid's head.

"It's only a bad dream." He whispers softly but loud enough to be heared by his son's sensitive ears. The boy nods in agreement as he wipes the tears off his face with his small hands. He moves closer and curls at Sesshoumaru's side with his short arms wrapped half around the demon lord's waist. The demon lord embraces his son securely as both remain silent. Few minutes pass, the Taiyoukai looks down at his unstirred son and he breaks the silence.

"Feeling better now?" He asks out of concern. Aito look ups with his lips curled into a small smile indicating a 'yes'. He lowers his head and turns to the side to see his mother still asleep. Suddenly Aito frowns in worry; he stretches his hands out to touch his mother's face. He then turns swiftly to face his lord with his concerned and gloomy face.

"Did mother cry last night? Why? Did I do something to upset mother?" The boy asks worriedly as he tucks at the demon lord's sleeve. Sesshoumaru cradles Aito on his laps and side hugs the boy.

"Nothing to do with Aito, you are an excellent kid and you will never hurt your mother." The Taiyoukai assures his son as both of them turn to watch the girl who is still slumbering away peacefully.

"Then why did mother cry?" The boy asks with tones of grief and it saddens the demon lord's heart.

"We had some uncomfortable conversations and that's why she cried." Aito raises his head and looks at his lord confused.

"If it was uncomfortable then why discuss?" The kid asks innocently. Sesshoumaru almost chuckles at his son's question.

"Is ... unavoidable." That's the only answer from the demon lord but Aito frowns bewildered.

"It is certainly avoidable my lord, just don't speak about it, its that's easy isn't it? Like Aito, will never say something bad to hurt mother." The kid then darts on his knees and wraps his arms around the Taiyoukai before he continues, "Lord Sesshoumaru, you are not going discuss that uncomfortable topic again right? Please..."

Sesshoumaru is almost speechless, he will never surrender to anyone in this world but when it comes to his son's requests, he knows he will not be able to say no. Aito is his strongest competitor. As victory will always on his son side. He sighs in satisfaction and speaks.

"Promise." The boy happily stretches his hands high up and does something unexpected. Aito leans closer to the Taiyoukai and kisses his left cheek on the magenta strip. Sesshoumaru golden orbs widen in astonishment while his son smiles toothily.

"Aito loves Lord Sesshoumaru as much as I love mother!" The kid exclaims with elation.

"I love you too _my son_"The last two words remain in the dog demon's mind. _One day I will be able to address him proudly. _He smirks at his own statement and shifts the boy to the floor.

"Go and freshen up yourself. Today we will hunt together with your mother." Aito is startled by his lord's statements but he is truly overjoyed with the idea as he jumps merrily. His mother has never seen him hunting and he determined to make her proud of him.

"Yes, milords I will go get ready with Jaken." He answers firmly and dashes out to the door but stops right at the green toad's bed. He bends at the side of the small bed and starts poking at the little kappa's face. The toad gets annoyed, he slaps the kid's hand away and jerks up to find Aito fleeing out the wooden door.

"Damn you boy, I will teach you a lesson!" Out of anger the green toad yells out loud as he is on his feet and ready to chase the kid.

"Jaken!" A strong fierce voice calls from behind sending a chill over his body and he freezes his steps. Slowly he turns to see his lord sitting at the edge of the bed. He is instantly on his knees and starts to apologize.

"Milord forgive my rudeness I promise such a thing will not be repeated." With his small head touching the floor, Jaken begs for forgiveness.

"Go with Aito." The demon lord firmly instructs without looking in the toad's direction.

"Right away my lord." With that the green kappa speeds as fast as he can leaving the dog demon behind alone with the girl in the hut.

When the green toad's shadow fades into distance, Sesshoumaru turns to the side and watches his Rin. She is looking calm and breathing normally. Last night's conversation seems to have affected the girl badly as she fainted out of exhaustion and hasn't been stirring much till now.

The Taiyoukai's heart twitches in pain, he has never seen Rin weep in such a fragile way. No matter how tough her life was in her early age, the girl would always wear that beautiful smile on her face. Even when she was beaten up badly by the villagers for stealing fish, she didn't even shed a single drop of tear. Sesshoumaru's hand clenches into a tight fist, he curses himself for not being able to find out the culprit who had taken the girl away. He knows her life wasn't easy without him, being pregnant, having went through labor, and working to feed their son.

As the demon lord adjusts his position to sit opposite and facing the girl, sorrow rushes in deep and fills his heart. _She is just a simple human girl and yet she clenches her teeth and walks this painful path to the limits, not knowing tire. What strength had possessed her that she has refused to give up?_ Sesshoumaru has his eyes shut tightly; he grabs the girl's right hand and holds it firmly onto his chest. _What I have done until this person had to separate us? Why would she have to suffer for my sake? She was beaten to get food for me. She was taken to the underworld to strengthen my Tenseiga. She was abducted by Naraku as a hostage to forbid me from defeating him and then she is taken away for this stupid family culture? Why would anyone want to do this to her? Is she not going through enough of a hard life already?_ Tightening the hold around the girl's hand, he moves it closer to his mouth and presses his lips firmly against her knuckles.

Allowing his thoughts to wander, the demon lord's eyes shut painfully as he tries to figure solutions to this matter. He is the ruler of the western lands and certainly no one will be able to object his choice of mate but Rin's concerns are something he could not even explain himself. But the girl is too innocent to sacrifice her life without clarifying with the demon lord. Shifting the girl's hand to his nose, he takes the scent of his precious ward and is lost in his thoughts. _Why father?_

Rin's eyes brows drop as she feels uncomfortable on her lower abdomen. Her eyes flutter open but instantly shuts when her belly cramps. Her eyes tightly shuts until the cramp starts to reduce as the girl attempts to part her eyes. Slowly her hazelnut eyes open wide and she sees a figure in front of her. _Sesshoumaru!_ She exclaims silently with her mouth parting wide in shock.

It is not the presence of her lord that surprises Rin, in fact it is the expression worn on his face that concerns her dearly. He could easily sense her awake but the Taiyoukai seems deeply lost in his own world.

Rin observes Sesshoumaru intensely as she admires the features on his face. The magenta strips on both sides of his cheeks stand proudly on his pale skin especially the blue crescent moon on his forehead. She wishes to caress her lord's face but this moment is too beautiful to be interrupted. Her lips curl into a small smile as she continues watching, the demon lord's expression has become much calmer now.

But the calmness over the Taiyoukai's face fades as it is by a rather melancholy face. Rin's smile instantly drops, she feels dejected and guilty at the same time. Her lord is a well known emotionless demon, he shouldn't bear with these weak human emotions.

Rin knows she is the reason behind Sesshoumaru's sadness and she hates it. She has never seen her lord suffering with depression as he always keep himself well aware of his surroundings. Right at this moment, he is completely out of his mind. The Taiyoukai would only smirk with triumph over his victory; never sad.

Ever since the girl followed the Taiyoukai at the age of seven, she has constantly faced accusations from others about her inability to defend which has caused troubles and weakened the demon lord. But her lord shows no reactions over these nasty points of view, in fact he protected the child with all his heart. With that Rin refuses to destroy her lord's life with her presence. She vows to keeps her promise.

Rin stretches out her left arm and presses her hand over Sesshoumaru right's cheek. Her soft gentle touch brings the lost dog demon back to reality. His eyes shoot open, startled golden orbs clash with concerned brown eyes. The wordless moment is filled with affectionate eye contact between the couple. Young love.

"You let your guard down. I have been watching you for sometime." The girl breaks the silence.

"I was merely enjoying your scent. Its call admiring not guard down Rin." The Taiyoukai smirks as he releases the girl's hand and helps her to sit up. He draws the girl closer to him with his left arm circling around her waist.

"Liar." Sesshoumaru stares at the girl in astonishment. Rin chuckles at her lord's expression.

"But I know you lie to make me feel better." She sighs melancholy with her hands pressing on her lower abdomen as the cramps that she felt earlier have returned.

"This Sesshoumaru never lies to you." He states firmly. Rin turns and forces a small smile for her lord as she tries to hide her discomfort. When she curls both of her legs to the side, she feels an uncomfortable discharge in between her legs. The girl frowns as she can feel some discomforting warm liquid flowing. _No wonder with all the pain and cramp! _Rin's face flushes in red._ Bad timing. _She then looks away out of embarrassment.

The demon lord's nostrils catch some mild blood scent around the girl, he turns to find her discomforted face but shies away when his gaze meets her's. It doesn't take long for the Taiyoukai to figure out the reason behind her timid action. _Rin is on cycle._

"Come." He taps lightly on the girl's shoulder. She turns with a bewildered expression and stares blankly at her lord.

"I believe you need a change. Let's heads to the river." Rin is startled by her lord's suggestions, her eyes widen with her mouth slightly parted. Sesshoumaru doesn't reply instead he just taps at the bridge of his almighty nose and smirks. Rin covers her mouth and laughs sheepishly at her lord's gestures. Slowly she moves to the side of the bed with her hands still pressing on her belly. When her legs touch the floor, the Taiyoukai is turning to head out but the girl quickly grabs onto one of his hands to stop him. Mystified by the girl action, the dog demon turns and drops to one knee in front his precious ward.

"Not feeling good to walk? I shall carry you then." He whispers worriedly but the girl declines in fact she looks rather concerned about something.

"My lord, last night," She steals a glance at her lord and looks away before continuing. "I was just tired, I –It has nothing to do with the pressures of the discussion. Please don't worry about me." Sesshoumaru isn't surprised by the girl's statements, he sighs; knowing Rin is obviously tried to shoulder the entire burden. He merely nods to make the girl feel better.

"About what we talked last night, regarding the ..." Her sentence is altered by the demon lord as he presses one of his claw fingers on her lips.

"Aito is waiting for us; we will talk about this later." He states firmly and cups the girl's face with his hands.

"He knows you cried last night and the boy is naïve enough to think he had upset you. We need to cheer him up. Can we?" His warm golden orbs gazes lovingly at the poor girl, her lips curls into a small bitter smile and inclines her heads in agreement. Releasing his hands from the girl's face, the demon lord rises and helps Rin to stand up. She then picks a new kimono from the wooden cupboard and walks out from the hut with her lord following closely at her side.

When they reach the river, Aito is splashing water happily at the green toad who looks rather helpless. Rin isn't happy with what she is seeing; she walks closer to her son and warns the boy.

"Aito stop bullying master Jaken. How many times do I have to remind you?" Rin's stern voice alters the boy's actions as he runs to the side of his beloved mother.

"Mother, I didn't bully, I just played with Jaken and look he is so happy." The boy then points his finger in the direction of the green toad who has just walked out from the river with his attire entirely drenched in water. The kappa's face certainly shows an expression of annoyance.

"Really? But he looks more annoyed than pleased my son." All of sudden, everyone is paying attention to the kappa's face, his eyes blink a couple of times in confusion. Aito immediately runs to the back of the toad with both of his hands circling around the imp's face and forcefully pulls the little demon's mouth widely into a big smile. Rin is about to stop her son but Sesshoumaru steps forward and moves closer to the duo.

"Aito stop that." His firm instruction scares the boy as he instantly pulls his hands away from the green toad. Jaken for the first time in his lifetime feels he is being defended by his master. His eyes widen with unshed tears showing his grateful expression. Aito swallows hard but chooses not to move. His eyes wide in fear.

The Taiyoukai then places one of his hands on top of the boy's head and strokes gently. Aito slowly regains his guts to look at his lord as he grins merrily in relief. Rin narrows her eyes in dissatisfaction while the imp's joyful look falls as his heart shatters like a broken glass.

"Take Jaken to the forest, we will be there shortly after your mother washes herself. Be ready with your prey." He smirks at his son. The boy then straightens his back with his chest puffed up and nods proudly.

"Yes my lord" He exclaims firmly and quickly turns to grab the little kappa's collar and drags him along as the duo disappear into the forest. Rin walks over to Sesshoumaru's side and sighs.

"He makes a mistake and you just let him escape." The demon lord rolls his eyes to the girl's unpleasant expression. He just loves to have this simple discussion with the girl about their son. It makes him feels so energetic.

"He is only four years old Rin, besides Jaken should be more considerate." He states in a playful tone. The girl frowns at her lord's statement.

"Master Jaken has tolerated more than enough and this has turned out to be a clear act of bullying. Aito has crossed the limits my lord." The girl turns her back to the demon lord and walk to the river.

"Even so we can carry out the conversation with Aito privately, it is not necessary that we have to do it in front of Jaken." Rin stares at the Taiyoukai over her shoulder; he has moves and rests nearby the river with one of his knee raised up. She sighs; there is no way that she can argue with her lord. Slowly she undresses and walks into the river to clean herself.

_In the forest,_

Aito stands under one small tree and tries to decide his prey. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the concentration that he use to own as his mind keeps on wandering to the earlier incident.

When Sesshoumaru slightly raised his voice earlier, Aito's felt extremely fearfull and dejected. This unexplainable feeling clouds the boy's mind, for some reason he has this strong desire to not upset the demon lord and wishes he could do everything the very best to get some praises form the Taiyoukai.

But this is not the only thing that bothers the kid, the dream he had last night wasn't something normal too. Of course he used to dream of being attacked by demons but the dream he had last night was certainly a nasty one. His guardian angel was wounded while the pack of demons addressed him as the son of the dog demon. Not only that, the boy seemed to call his guardian angel as his father. Aito shakes his head heavily to get rid of all the puzzles and it is at this time that the little kappa shows up and interrupts him.

"What are you doing kid? You're supposed to decide your prey so stop day dreaming." Jaken immediately regrets his words; he feels a strong aura of some evil eyes piercing through his back. He turns slowly to find a death glare from the boy; he bares his fangs in anger and roars like an angry dog. The imp instantly flees into the thick bushes before Aito charges on him.

Suddenly a light breeze blows and carries a demon's scent into the kid's nose. He observes the surroundings and remains calm. He knows someone familiar is watching him but he couldn't make out from which direction the strong gaze is coming from. In a minute, the demon appears out of no where and the boy decides to jumps to the left direction. _Crap!_

Aito turns exactly in the direction where the demon came from. His body was grabbed tightly by this familiar figure demon and when they both land on the forest floor, the demon greets the boy.

"It's been a while my dear."

_Back at the river,_

Sesshoumaru's nostrils catch this very annoying and familiar scent. He rolls his eyes in the direction of the forest and knows the leopard is probably there with his son. He stands up and walks a bit closer to the river.

"Rin, I will be back shortly." With that the demon lord disappears into the forest without giving a chance for the girl to reply.

_What makes Lord Sesshoumaru leave this fast?_ She thought but quickly dismisses the thought and continues with her cleaning.

_Back in the forest,_

"Master Ryuuki!" Aito exclaims in astonishment. His expression rather surprises the panther, usually the boy will jump merrily by his presence but today he looks rather anomalous.

"What ails you dear? You seem disturbed. Are you not happy to see me?" The boy immediately faces the leopard demon and smiles weakly at him.

"Of course I am happy, when did you return master Ryuuki?" The kid tries to make the conversation as comfortable as possible. But the panther is still not convinced by the boy responses.

"I just reached awhile ago and I missed you and your mother so dearly. So I decide to stop by here first. So is your mother awake yet?" Ryuuki asks as he scans the kid intensely, something about him has change drastically. There seems to be a strange gap formed between them.

"Yes, mother is awake; she is with Lord Sesshoumaru at the river." The name of the demon dog escapes from the boy's mouth and enrages the leopard demon.

"How long has this lord been here with you and your mother?" Ryuuki's tone of voice is slightly increased and it shocks the boy a little. He stares at the panther demon a while before he attempts to answer.

"It's been a month. My lord did leave us for few days but at the night when two men attacked mother and I, Lord Sesshoumaru came and saved us. Aito got the chance take revenge on behalf of mother and I was so happy." The boy explains excitedly but somehow it increases the annoyance for the leopard. He hisses and looks away from the kid.

"What do you mean by revenge?" Ryuuki asks seriously.

"Lord Sesshoumaru is so powerful! He killed that man in the hut and dragged his body to the forest. He used one of his swords to revive the man again. It is awesome and that's when Aito also took part in killing the bastard by stamping on his wiggling tongue." The leopard demon is startled by the boy's statements. _Stamping on a wiggling tongue? Since when did he become this violent?_ Ryuuki grabs on the boy's shoulders and forces the kid to face him.

"Listen Aito, stop learning all these ridiculous things. Your mother is not going to be happy to learn that you have done such a violent thing. Stay away from that dangerous lord. He is corrupting your innocent mindset." Ryuuki's voice is firm and serious but the boy frowns in confusion.

"Why should I stay away from my lord? He taught me so many things and I love him so much. Besides Lord Sesshoumaru loves mother much more than I did, I don't want to separate from him." The boy struggles hard and manages to free himself from the leopard's grip.

Before Ryuuki is able to get a hold of Aito again, he notices an unwanted presence charging from his back. He immediately jumps to another direction to avoid the attack and turns to find Sesshoumaru. Aito quickly runs to the dog demon's side and wraps his arms around one of his lord's legs. Ryuuki's heart is despondent at the sight of the closeness between the duo, his hands clench into tight fists and curses. _Damn I shouldn't have left them for this long. How in the world could this dog win over their hearts in such a short period of time?_

"The boy has the right to choose whom to trust. You have no right to interfere in his decisions." The Taiyoukai warns as he turns and leads his son away.

"You're not the father of the kid to teach him such a ridiculous thing. Rin will not be happy if she gets to know of it. Leave the boy alone." Ryuuki snarls furiously. Sesshoumaru only merely looks at the cat over his broad shoulder in annoyance, of course he has the right on Aito, he is the father of the kid after all but he just can't afford to reveal any single detail at this moment, especially not in front of Aito.

"Mind your own business cat and you know nothing about me and Rin. Be gone before you regret it." The dog demon walks away with his son. Blood is now boiling in the leopard's veins; he is raging at the words 'know nothing' from the day the Taiyoukai showed up a month ago. This is it, he has no plan to tolerate anymore, if confrontation is needed he will fight with all his strength to win over Rin's heart.

"Stand there dog!" Ryuuki yells furiously. Aito freezes in his tracks as he turns to see an angry leopard with his right hand griping on his sword ready to draw it out. Sesshoumaru turns to face his opponent, he really isn't in the mood for a confrontation but if the cat behaves in such a way, he might have no choice but to teach him a lesson.

"Aito stand back." The boy nods and runs to the nearby bushel where the imp is hiding and peeking from the beginning. Both of them watch as the two demons exchange their tense gazes. Ryuuki is the first one to draw his sword, but the Taiyoukai remains unmoved. It irritates the leopard when the dog demon refuses to draw his sword. Without waiting further, he positions his sword and runs into the demon lord. When the gap between them is only a few inches, the western lord draws his Tenseiga and blocks the leopard's attack in a flash.

Blade clashes blade as the two demons continue their fight. Aito feels extremely uncomfortable; he doesn't wish to see anyone hurt, Ryuuki treats him well and Sesshoumaru is very important to him. Unable to think of any ways to stop the fight, the kid turns to another direction as he paces back to the hut. _Mother may be able to stop them, I need to be fast._ The boy thinks.

"Hey kid where are you going?" The boy doesn't seem to hear the green toad's question as he quickly disappears from the imp's sight. With his eyes blinking in doubt, Jaken chooses to stay to watch over the battle between the dog and the cat.

_Back to the hut,_

Rin is on her way to enter the hut but her son is calling her not far away from the direction of the forest. She has changed into a forest green kimono and wrapped with a purple obi.

Aito spots his mother as he runs as fast as he can to her side. He immediately grabs one of his mother's hands tightly when he reaches her side and pants heavily. The girl starts to worry as her son's expression looks rather hasty. _Did something happen to Lord Sesshoumaru?_ She shakes the bad thought away and drops to her knees to check on her son.

"Son what had happened? You look like you are rushing, did something happen my dear?" The girl asks worriedly. Once the boy catches his breath, he pulls his mother's hands and gestures in the direction of the forest.

"Mother you have to hurry! Master Ryuuki is fighting with Lord Sesshoumaru. Aito don't want to see anyone get hurt. I don't know what to do, please mother come fast with me, now!" Rin is thunderstruck by her son's comments but she nods and quickly drops her dirty kimono on the floor and follows her son. _Why is Master Ryuuki fighting with my lord? Could it be because of that day? Oh god please don't let them hurt each other._ The girl prays silently in her thoughts.

Back to the forest,

Ryuuki is thrown and hits the tree hard enough until his sword slips from his hand. Several bruised spots on his face and arms. He is panting heavily and tries to catches his breath. He feels strange during the entire confrontation, no matter how many times the sword from the demon lord cuts him, he is not wounded. _Just what kind of sword does he possess?_ Sesshoumaru on the other hand remains unhurt; he sheathes the Tenseiga and faces the leopard.

"You're lucky that I did not choose to fight with my Bakusaiga, or you would have been dead by now." The words from Taiyoukai have wounded the leopard's pride. _Did he just say that he spared my life with that useless sword? Damn you dog!_ Ryuuki curses and is not willing to give up. He struggles to gain balance and stands up to face the demon lord with an unsatisfied expression.

"A demon like you does not deserve to have Rin. She is innocent for an evil demon like you." The leopard demon yells crossly, his thoughts are now with Rin. The girl has gone through so much of pain and he vows to heal her and promise her a bright future. He is not going to let her slip away from his life. Never. _Why? Why this man does have to show up and spoil my life?_

"You don't know me well to even classify me as evil. Besides," Sesshoumaru turns to take his leave as he complete his sentences. "I know Rin more than you do. Stop making these unnecessary claims. Now leave us alone."

Ryuuki stares irately at the dog demon leaving; he is truly enraged at this moment. _Who the hell does he thinks he is? Knowing Rin better than me? Did he even know how much the girl has suffered in these past four years?_ The leopard demon grabs his sword and charges in the direction of the Taiyoukai. Jaken who has been watching the duo from the beginning shouts out loud.

"Be careful Lord Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru dodges the attacks pretty effortlessly; he turns to the raged leopard and does not draw his sword to fight. _No point._ The demon lord concludes as he thinks this guy is never going to learn anything about them. He also holds no responsibility to explain anything to this cat. Each attack from the leopard grows stronger but is still harmless for the Taiyoukai. His attacks have gone pretty messy and with no properly angled aim. He has allowed his rage to control his mind.

"If I didn't happen to pass by this village four years ago when Rin delivered Aito in the forest in the night when the weather wasn't merciful to her, she and her son would have been dead! Where were you at that time?" Ryuuki yells as he keeps charging the demon lord with his sword. Sesshoumaru's heart torments by the remarks. He knew well that pregnancy would have been tough for the girl, but he never imagined it was that close to life and death. Clenches his fist tightly, the Taiyoukai jumps into another direction as he faces the cat with his emotionless face.

"I will ensure she does not face the same ordeal in her next pregnancy." He states firmly but it seems to flame the leopard even more. He leaps high into the air and charges the Taiyoukai from the top. Sesshoumaru still has his weapons undrawn and avoids the attacks, this time he feels the charging is a bit rough and stronger than before.

"Ridiculous! You have no right to make such assurances. Why do you have to come back when you left her before? I couldn't care less what the relationship was between the two of you but if you let her go away before, don't claim her back. Can't you just let her live peacefully?" Sesshoumaru's right hand catches Ryuuki's hand when the leopard attempts to slash at the demon lord. With one hand he pushes the cat away as he falls on the grass.

"I will make it up to her. Stop your unreasonable accusations." He growls in annoyance.

"Make it up? Where were you when the girl was being humiliated by the villagers? All those nasty words about her bedding with a demon only to be left behind? What about the boy? Where were you when the children laughed at him for not having a father? Now tell me how would you make all this up to them? It is impossible!" Ryuuki clenches his right hand into a tight fist as he runs towards the dog demon ready to punch him.

Sesshoumaru blocks the punch but does not return the attack. He isn't really in the mood for confrontation and he knows about the villagers verbal attacks. He witnessed the incident himself a month ago when he paid a visit to the lady named Tsuyu.

"I may not be able to turn back the time, but those humiliations will fade away from now on. No one is going to humiliate them again." His is voice soft but firm. Ryuuki's eyes turn into burning flame red. He can't believe just how easily the Taiyoukai makes a promise.

"Do you really have such power to wash away those humiliations? Do you think she has suffered only that much?" With those words escaping his mouth, he picks up the sword from the grass and positions it in the right angle as he bares his fangs in resentment.

"When the bandits attacked the village two years ago," He moves one step forwards and continues, "When they threatened Rin with Aito's life as the girl struggles hard to protect her son's safety," The leopard stops close in front of the Taiyoukai.

"When she screamed out in pain after being beaten up badly and cried out for help, for she refused to give up her dignity to those lustful bastards! Lying naked under those hungry men's eyes and waiting for fate to serve her!" Sesshoumaru's golden orbs pops open wide in disbelief as the leopard completes his sentences.

"WHERE WERE YOU DOG?" With that last sentence, Ryuuki stretches his arm with full force and thrusts the blade into the Taiyoukai's right shoulder just right above his armor. His sword pierces through Sesshoumaru's shoulder and bloods splashes and is visible on his mokomoko.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken shouts as he jumps out from the bushes and speeds to his lord's side speechless.

Sesshoumaru's body freezes, all of a sudden his surroundings become so quiet. He can see the imp approaching his side with his mouth murmuring something, but he heeds nothing. His gaze fixed at a pair of wrathful red eyes, the raged gaze almost feels like something piercing through his soul. He thinks he doesn't care at this moment.

The Taiyoukai knows Ryuuki's blade has stabbed his body; he tries to gather his concentration to feel the part where the blade touched. He pretty much confirms that the blade has hit his heart, for he feels extremely painful only at this region right at this moment. He mouths no words, his vision is blurring and he feels weak.

Sesshoumaru's heart burrows in agony, as much as he knows Rin has suffered way more than he could have imagined he never thought the girl was once tortured in such a nasty way before just like the same incident that happened a month ago. The girl looks so strong; she presents herself so well and so flawless until he failed to read her mind. Heknows the girl has gone through plenty of hardships in delivering, feeding her son and facing all the insulting words from the villagers. _But why? Why with the physical torment?_

"Did they?" While the Taiyoukai is still battling within his thoughts, he forces himself to ask the only thing that he wants to know badly. But Ryuuki ignores Sesshoumaru's question, he growls out loud furiously, deepens the stab and as a result it sends more blood splashing out.

When Aito reaches first at the spot, he is stunned by the scene he is witnessing. The dream he had last night is now freshly replaying in his mind. The boy drops on his knees with his head shaking violently.

"No! No!" The kid screams silently as it turns out as whispers. His sunset eyes fills with unshed tears as he murmurs a word. _Father!_

When Rin arrives behind her son, her hazelnut eyes widen gobsmacked with her mouth gapping wide. She instantly looses her balance but manages to keep her composure. The bloods pooling around her lord's mokomoko has made her tears stream down uncontrollably over her cheeks. She thinks her heart has stopped beating and all she wishes now is to be at her lord's side and check on his wounds.

When Sesshoumaru makes no defensive move against the attack, Ryuuki's blades is thrust deeper once again and now half the blade has pierced through the Taiyoukai's shoulder.

"LORD SESSHOUMARU!" Rin screams as loud as her voice allows her to. Without thinking further, the girl speeds as fast as she could to the two demons side and does something that causes the two demon's eyes widen, flabbergasted. None of them are able to stop the girl and for the first time in their lifetimes both of them respond in unison.

'RIN NO!"

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**Chapter end notes:**

Someone told me Ryuuki is selfish, and he should die in the next chapter. But in my point of view, he is just madly in love. He doesn't know about the relationship between Rin and the demon lord. When you love someone you'll do all the crazy things.

So can you guesses what did Rin do that caused both of them to say "NO RIN!" ?

**Next chapter:** _"We would not return to the castle"_

Remember I mentioned about 'Lily of the Valley' contest on Deviantart? I have received a second entry today! I am so happy for once again I met with another talented artist.

Follow the link below to view the picture and remember to reduce the gaps to get the proper link.

h t t p : / / arisuamyfan. deviantart. com/#/d3c4reb

If you are a DA member, you can comment directly on her page. I love you dear ArisuAmy.

Until then take everyone. Cheer! (^_^)

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**Anonymous reviews reply:**

**Kate:** Hi Kate, thank you for your review. I hope you enjoy this chapter 16 (^_^) Cheer!

**DivineRose:** Thank you Di, I was afraid I didn't get the whole scene written correctly. It took me too long to get this done and I edited a lot of time. At one time my fiance told me, I jump scene too much and I have to rewrite. I am so glad it turn out good. Awww thanks Di, I am glad you like the bathe scene. I promise to get the next one done in less than a month :D

**Jolie:** Awww I like it when you said: _life is only once!_ I am kind of feel bad that I always complaint about my work. I am glad that you are doing well. Thanks for reviewing and I hope you like this chapter. I am really try my best to reveal everything as fast as I could. I will speed up my writing. (^_^) Thank you for your support dear Jolie.

**Rabid Wolf:** Thank you so much for your review dear. Cheer! (^_^)

**songhamitra:** Hey there, how are you doing? (^_^) Ah, so you think Sesshoumaru shows his affection too fast? Actually, unofficially Rin is already his mate, he didn't think of any adult things though and all he wants at that moment is, to give the girl and the kid some comfort. Something that he thinks he can do at that moment.

I believe, Rin would wish to do anything for Sesshoumaru, but she loves him more than herself and she didn't wish to destroy his life. She will rather suffer on her own.

Ah, sure I have already assigned a partner to Ryuuki, don't worry about him. Awww you're so sweet dear. I hope you love this chapter. (^_^) Until then cheer!

**Naala:** Hi dear, I am doing good here except the hectic life lol I'm not going to complaint because Jolie said 'life is only once' and I will learn from her point of view. I'm so glad that you like the bullying part LOL I know my fiancé is not going to like it well who cares? Jaken is always annoying isn't it? hehe *shhhh* we keep it between ourselves XD

I am definitely a fan of happily ever after, it is just the process to get there which are a bit tough but I can never stand to see Sessh not X with Rin (^_^) Yup, I hope you like this chapter. I hope to receive more entry for the contest as well. Nstone53 picture is by far the BEST! I won't be surprise if she win the competition :D Until then see ya ... Oh you know, I won't be here without your superb reviews. Very details and content. Thank you dear for your support *hugs* for you.

**elusivequeenbee:** So, this is the final anonymous reply for you huh, hehe you have created an account yay!

Awww yea the hidden message from Sesshoumaru's words. Glad that you love it. It is difficult to write from Sesshoumaru's point of view and I will try my best. :-)

It seems that many have rated Aito as 'Good combination', I am proud that everyone is able to see Sessh&Rin in Aito. :-) It wasn't easy to write Sesshy/Rin scene, the idea is there but when you really written it down and wanted the reader to feel it is tough. This scene alone, I have deleted/edited more than 5 times. Glad that it turn out good, I want Sesshoumaru to show his little anger but not too much. Same apply for Rin, she was strong enough to face pregnancy, delivery, raising her son ALONE. She never turns and breakdown to anyone not even Ryuuki, so her fragile cries in Sesshoumaru's arm has to be something that I want the reader to feel her harship. And so I am glad it turns out just as I wish. Yes even I wish to hug her, so sweet of you (^_^)

Thank you for your review, I wouldn't be able to do this without your comments. Every single review from you ensured me that I'm in the right path and I will continue on without a doubt. Hope you enjoy this chapter. *hugs* for you. Until then take care.


	17. We would not return to the castle

**Chapter notes:**

"_There is sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love."_

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The Lily of the Valley signifies **"****_The Return of Happiness" _**

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**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi. **_

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**Chapter 17 – We would not return to the castle**

Rin speeds to the two demons side and with her bare hands she pulls the blade out from Sesshoumaru's right shoulder. None of the demons manage to stop the girl as the blade cuts into the girl's palms dripping blood around the sword.

Ryuuki can't pull his sword out at this moment for it will deepen the cut on the girl's palms and worsen the incident. While Sesshoumaru is unable to do anything, only being able to witness his precious ward's flesh being cut. Both demon hearts are in anguish at the sight of the girl struggling to remove the blade without knowing pain.

With the blade successfully dislodged from the Taiyoukai's shoulder, Rin presses her hands around her lord's wound to stop the blood from pooling. Her tears flow like rain not due to the throbbing from her hands but the wound on her lord's shoulder. Shaking her head in disbelief the girl firmly presses her forehead on the top of her hands which are still covering the demon lord's wound as she whispers weakly, despondent.

_Why would master Ryuuki want to hurt Lord Sesshoumaru, why?_

"Rin," Sesshoumaru's left hand gently strokes at the back of the girl's head and pauses at her trembling back with his right hand wrapped around her waist securely. "I will be fine." The girl continues sobbing in misery while the leopard demon is watching on stupefied. _Rin pulled the blade out with her bare hands, Why?_ The question keeps repeating in Ryuuki's head as he steps backward pulling away from the duo.

Jaken walks up close to his master with his eyes full of unshed tears while Aito dashes to the Taiyoukai and wraps his arms tightly around one of his lord's leg as he buries his face into his hakama and cries.

Sesshoumaru releases his right hand from Rin's waist and rests it on top of his son's head. He strokes at the boy's head to ensure him he is fine before his emotionless gaze shifts onto the lost leopard.

"Be gone and leave us alone." The demon lord warns threateningly. Ryuuki snaps his attention back to reality with the Taiyoukai's harsh forewarning. He sheathes his sword and walks a bit closer to the group.

"Rin, I- ..." Sesshoumaru snarls irately to instantly cut off the cat demon's sentence and forbid him from coming closer to the girl. Ryuuki growls in irritation but keeps his temper level low as he does not wish to indirectly hurt the girl again.

"I just want to check how deep the cut is." The leopard explains calmly. Rin lifts her head and slightly turns to the left, watching the cat demon over her shoulder. She does not wish to speak to the leopard at this moment, but thinks that it will be wise if she steps up and sorts the problem before the two demons start to confront again.

"Master Ryuuki, I beg you please," The girl is now fully facing the leopard demon with her sore eyes wearing a down hearten expression on her face as she continues, "Please go home now, and I will speak to you on another day."

Ryuuki is rather disappointed at the girl's request but he hardly has any choice, his has wounded the girl he loves the most with his own sword and her blood is still on it. Reluctantly he nods in acceptance and turns to take his leave.

When he disappears into the bushes, Rin turns her attention back to her lord's wounded shoulder. She tries hard to press on his wound to stop the blood from pooling. Sesshoumaru has had enough, he knows his wound would probably heal before the sun sets and the major concern here is this innocent girl under his arms. Carefully the Taiyoukai grabs on the girl's hands and inspects her palms with profound concern.

_Horrible cuts!_ Sesshoumaru's brows drop in anguish at the sight of Rin's palms. The cuts from the blade are deep and he is almost lost for words to describe these terrible wounds. Shifting his gaze from the girl's hands to her face, the demon lord is startled by the emotions worn on the poor girl's face. No signs of physical suffering. The concerned Taiyoukai lifts the girl's chin up with his claw finger and eyes her worriedly.

"Let's tend to your wound now." Rin's eyes widen and shakes her head in disapproval.

"No, I tend to your shoulder first." She instructs firmly but Sesshoumaru's snarls in irritation at the stubborn girl but she pays no attention.

"Jaken, get a clean dry cloth, and Aito, search for some bandage in the hut. Meet me at the river shortly." The little kappa and the boy nod in acknowledgement as both quickly pace to the hut.

"But your," Sesshoumaru ignores Rin's unfinished remark and wraps an arm around the girl's waist, slightly pushing her to make a move to the river. The girl's eyes narrow in dissatisfaction and reluctantly obeys her lord.

Sesshoumaru's heart is filled with disappointment. A month ago due to his absence Rin was wounded badly after being beaten up violently by the useless humans. He had brought the girl here to this river and washed her wounds with his distressed heart. Today she is wounded yet again and right in front of him but he was unable to do anything to stop the girl. They are here at the same river again for the same purpose. The Taiyoukai is extremely furious at himself but chooses to not channel his dissatisfaction out in this bad moment.

Dipping Rin's hands slowly into the water, the girl gasps in pain as she lifts it out immediately to cause Sesshoumaru to lose his grip on her hands. Her brows drop as she bits her lower lips; she then shuts her eyes tightly in order to get rid of the stinging feeling on her palms.

The demon lord watches the girl's reactions in agony. He sighs for at least she is showing a normal reaction out of pain, he thought that the girl has lost all her senses the moment she used her bare hands to pull the blade out. Gently, he grabs at her wrists and slightly massages the lower palms with his thumbs.

Rin slightly relax and tries to re-open her eyes. Her hazelnut eyes glasses over with unshed tears but manages a weak smile at the concerned Taiyoukai.

"Let's do it again, I feel better now." _Lie_ Sesshoumaru thinks as he knows Rin too well that he can tell when the girl is lying to make him feel better. But he has no choice and the wounds need to be cleaned.

"I will do it as fast as I can and if it stings too much, bite on my shoulder. Remember, don't hide it, if you want to scream just do it." Rin's eyes soften in guilt, knowing she has caused a trouble again; she chooses to not answer but nods in acceptance. When her palms touch the water again, the girl screams out loud with tears streaming down her cheeks. She drops her forehead on the demon lord's shoulder and clenches her teeth tightly.

Sesshoumaru washes her wounds as gently as he can and as fast as he is able to. Jaken and Aito join the duo shortly with bandage and dry cloth ready in their hands.

Once the blood is washed away, the Taiyoukai instructs the green toad to hand over the dry cloth. Slowly he dries the girl's palm and takes the bandage from his son to wrap around her hands. Aito's heart cries mutely at the sight of his mother's face. Jaken on the other hand is unusually quiet.

"Feeling better now?" Sesshoumaru asks tenderly as his claw finger wipes away the tears on her face. Rin nods slowly as her lips inch towards a small smile.

The demon lord pulls the girl closer to his arms as he carries her back to the hut with the imp and the boy following closely behind.

The Taiyoukai places Rin on the bed as he sits opposite to her at the side of the bed and tells the girl to get some rest while he will be away for hunting. He then moves to the imp's side and instructs him to stay with the girl before disappearing from the wooden door. Aito quickly runs to the entrance and joins the Taiyoukai. The toad makes no attempt to stop the boy knowing it will be futile. _Brat_ he thinks as he turns and spots that the girl has her eyes closed and resting. _Silly girl. _Jaken whispers.

_Into the forest, _

Sesshoumaru's poison claws pierce directly through the boar's heart as it lands on the grass. He walks closer and picks up the boar while Aito watches on in amazement. Slowly both father and son move away from the forest and head back to the hut. The boy is unusually quiet during the walk and keeps raising his head up to stare at the demon lord's face. It doesn't take the Taiyoukai long to notice the kid's odd behaviors. He decides to stop and converse with his son. Sesshoumaru pauses in his steps and drops the boar onto the forest floor. He then drops to one knee at Aito's side with his hands placed on both of the boy's shoulders.

"What is troubling you?" The boy heads up and faces the demon lord with his eyes rolling to his lord's wounded shoulder.

"My lord, your wound needs to be tended." The boy eyes worriedly. Sesshoumaru's lips curl into a small smile as he shakes his head lightly to decline.

"The cut will heal before the sun set. Tending it will be a waste of time." He assures the boy with gentle strokes on top of the kid's head.

"What about mother's hands?" Aito's sudden inquiry staggers the demon lord momentarily with anxiety. His right hand firmly rests at the side of the boy's cheek.

"Don't worry, she'll recover but it takes time. Probably it will take two weeks or even a month to heal." The boy nods sadly as his gaze falls on his feet.

"I wonder if mother felt pain when she pulled the blade with her bare hands." His small hands clenches into small fists, "She's so brave."

A gloomy scent fills the air around the boy as sorrow rushes in and fills Sesshoumaru's heart. _She is mentally tough, her love is strong and she is kind to everyone. But why can't she love herself even more?_ The Taiyoukai thinks as he draws his son closer with an arm wrapped securely around his small body.

"She needs to learn to love herself even more isn't it?" The boy nods eagerly in agreement.

"We will teach her about this, deal?" Aito's sunset eyes blink and looks at the demon lord with an inquisitive mind.

"But how?" He asks innocently.

"We will stop your mother from doing anything that may harm her." The boy blinks his sunset eyes in doubt as he inquires.

"Like what happened earlier?"

"Yes, indeed." Aito is puzzled by his lord's answer, he keeps blinking his eyes and stares blankly at the dog demon. A short silence falls between them until the kid surprises the Taiyoukai with a rather unexpected statement.

"Bu-but... I would do the same earlier if I had the same height like mother." Sesshouumaru's golden eyes pop wide open in disbelief, he can explain about Rin's earlier behaviors since the girl's nature always is more on giving than receiving. But to hear it from his son is rather astounding.

"Aito would never want to see Lord Sesshoumaru hurt." The boy lands in the Taiyoukai's lap, throws his short arms around his lord's neck and hugs him tightly. The demon lord returns the hug and strokes his son's back as he sighs uncharacteristically. _Like mother, like son. _

"I hate to see you hurt too and so don't do anything silly. Promise?" Aito releases his arms from the demon lord's neck as he pulls away to look at his lord's face. He nods in agreement and in return Sesshoumaru rewards his son a light kiss on one of his cheeks.

The boy then jumps out of the Taiyoukai's lap and watches the dog demon pick up the boar on his right shoulder. Later both of them resume their track and head back to the hut.

Aito has helped Sesshoumaru to skin the boar and roast it. Rin has joined the demon lord and her son outside the hut while the duo is preparing the food. She loves to see how the father and son work together and on certain occasions she laughs at her son's childish behaviors around the Taiyoukai.

When the food is ready, Aito insists to feed his mother while Rin has a hard time to reject the boy especially when he pleads with those cute puppy eyes. Sesshoumaru, watches the mother and son enjoying their meal with a satisfied smile across his face. The afternoon passes peacefully.

As the sun retires below the horizon in the west, the Taiyoukai informs his son that he will be away for some work and should return before they go to bed. Aito expresses his wish to follow but the demon lord insists he should stay behind and help his mother out since her hands are injured. The boy nods with slight dissatisfaction but obeys the instruction. He waves goodbye to his lord and returns to his mother side. When Rin enquires about Sesshoumaru's whereabouts, Aito informs his mother that the western lord is away for some work. The girl prays silently hoping her lord will not seek Ryuuki out for any reason.

_In the Geisha house's kitchen,_

Tsuyu steps out from the kitchen and spots Sesshoumaru sitting under one of the giant trees. She walks closer and greets the demon lord with a smile.

"Good evening young lord." The Taiyoukai merely nods as he stands to face the old lady.

"I am sorry, I didn't know that you will be here, or I would not have instructed Akemi to send out the dinner to the hut." Tsuyu apologizes with a small bow.

"I saw the girl passing by earlier." The lady frowns in confusion and takes it that the demon lord's presence has nothing to do with the meal since he didn't stop Akemi earlier.

"I guess that you wish to have a few words with me." Tsuyu guesses as she moves to tree where the Taiyoukai was resting earlier and settles herself comfortably on the grass.

Sesshoumaru joins next to the old lady and speaks with a lowered tone.

"I will not bother you for long since I don't feel fine to leave Rin alone with Aito. I will try to make this conversation as short as possible." Tsuyu nods with a weak smile.

"How may I assist you young lord." Sesshoumaru's golden eyes stare at the old lady for a moment, her smile is warm and she looks generous. He shifts his gaze away from the lady and locks it to another landscape.

"Ryuuki was here this morning. Unavoidable confrontation took place but in the end Rin was hurt." The lady's eyes widen in astonishment.

"How did this happen? How badly is she injured?" She asks with utmost worry.

"The leopard's sword pierced through my right shoulder. Rin pulled the blade out with her bare hands. The cuts are quite deep and it will at least take few weeks to recover." Tsuyu shakes her head in disbelief. _How could Rin do such a foolish thing, does she not know how to love herself?_ The lady sighs, dejected.

"The cat revealed about the unpleasant disasters that happened to Rin for the past four years. I wish to hear the complete story from you, right from the beginning when she came to this village." Tsuyu looks at the side of the demon lord's face. His tone of voice is weak and almost sounds desperate. She has no reason to turn down the dog demon but before she reveals anything there is this thing she needs to confirm first.

"What right do you have to know about Rin's life? Certainly, you do not expect me to tell everyone about her if they came to approach me like you did today. It will be not fair to the girl." The lady stresses seriously and calmly. Sesshoumaru cocks his head to the right and glares annoyingly at the old woman. Tusyu shows no sign of fear, instead she stares at the Taiyoukai's golden eyes as both their gazes cross for a few seconds.

_This woman has her reasons too. I wouldn't be happy if she talks about Rin's life to others._ The western lord breaks the gaze and lifts his head up to the sky. Tsuyu observes carefully and waits patiently for the demon lord to respond.

"If Rin didn't disappear from my palace 4 years ago, she would have been my official wife and Aito would have known about me being his father. Both of them wouldn't have went through so much of a hard life." His head remains in the same position while his golden eyes are looking at the cloudless sky. Tsuyu isn't too surprised with the demon lord's statements, in fact she had guessed it when the dog demon showed up at the village a month ago with Aito. When Akemi tells her about the name of the lord, she's forthwith aware of the relationship between the duos since the girl constantly mouthed the lord's name all the times.

"4 years ago, I spotted Rin wandering around this village for about half a day. She didn't dare to approach any of the villagers until late evening. That's when I filled my curiosity and took an initiative to check on the girl. She wore a beautiful silk kimono which looked rather expensive, and sat at the main entrance of this village. I will never forget the heartwarming smile that she gave me when I walked close to her. She is pretty and young, my heart burrowed in anguish when she told me she had nowhere to go. Rin begged me to let her work at my plantations and was in need of a shelter. I instantly agreed and let her stay with me." A weak smile crosses at the old lady's face at the thought of how she met Rin.

"Rin didn't tell you why she had nowhere to go and how she found this village?" Sesshoumaru inquires curiously while Tsuyu shakes her head to indicate she doesn't know.

"Something tells me that the girl has hid quite a lot of things in her heart. Generally she looks quite happy in front of us but when she is alone, she looks rather lost and depressed." The Taiyoukai narrows his gaze into the forest floor. _Obviously she will not tell anyone about the person who sent her away. Rin is very secretive._ The lady takes the silence from the young lord as her queue to continue on.

"Rin is lovable among the villagers, her easy going personality has attracted quite a lot of friends around her. Her kind heart has made the entire village's love to be around her. I swear if my son wasn't married, I would want Rin to be my daughter in law. My son Shinobu and his wife mingle along well with the girl and me personally already treat her as my own daughter." Her weak smile fades and is replaced with a gloomy expression. Sesshoumaru distinctly smells the scent of tears and can feel the sadness emanating from the lady's body. He chooses to be silent and let the lady to continue on.

"Humans are funny sometimes, for a small thing that happened they could change drastically. The happiness didn't last long for the girl, 3 months after that Rin fell ill and the local physician gave us a rather shocking news. She was with a child and from that day onwards the villagers looked at her in a different way." Tsuyu pauses a moment to retrieve a handkerchief from her sleeve and wipes the tears away from the end of her eyes before she continues, "But Rin took the news quite pleasantly, she seemed to be so blissful about the baby. In fact I could tell, she lived much happier after she got pregnant. I asked her couple of times about the father of the baby but she never answered me. I then decided to drop the subject since she has no wish to talk about it. When the rumors were getting nastier and the words of insult were getting stronger I had no choice but to send her away. The hut that she now lives in was meant to be a place to store the crops from this village. She took my decision really well and assured me that she would be fine to be alone and indicated she loved to be alone." Sesshoumaru's hands clenches into fists as he snarls furiously.

"Pathetic humans!" Tsuyu doesn't deny the Taiyoukai's declaration, in fact she nods at it.

"Yes they are I wouldn't have judged a person without knowing their background. But those verbal attacks were awful and I didn't want Rin to live in such an unhealthy environment. So I had to send her away. But I regretted it later." Tears stream down the old lady's cheeks as she takes a break to calm herself down before continuing.

"If Rin stayed at my house, she wouldn't have gone through such hapless laboring. I started to live with her 3 months before the child was due, but that night my grand daughter was sick and so I had to return and take care of her. According to my calculations, she wasn't due anytime soon but I didn't know that she was carrying a demon child. That night was the 7th month of her pregnancy and that's when Aito was born in the forest in such a helpless environment and the weather wasn't merciful to her." Tsuyu sniffs harder than before and is having a hard time controlling her tears.

"That's when Ryuuki passed by the forest and saved Rin and Aito." Sesshoumaru added firmly and the lady nods as she continues.

"When Ryuuki sent Rin to my door step, he told me the girl kept murmuring a name called 'Lord Sesshoumaru'. When she had gained back conscious I asked her about you and all she said was - someone important. I pressed no further about it and let the girl stay in my village until she regained her health.

It didn't take long for the villagers to find out about Aito. A new rumor about 'Rin having bedded with a demon and was left behind' spread really fast through the entire village. I wanted to defend her but if the girl refuses to let me know about her story I wouldn't know how to explain it to the villagers. At the end of second week after the painful labor, Rin decided to return to the hut and I promised to send her food until she was able to handle her own meals. Ryuuki was then often visiting Rin after the incident and I knew he had a crush on that girl."

"Who is that leopard and why he showed up at the village all of sudden?" Sesshoumaru asks coolly. Tsuyu shifts her legs to another side before explaining about the cat demon's identity.

"Ryuuki is my adopted son; his father was killed by a villain in his own clan while his mother managed to escape and hide in my village. At that time Shinobu was only 2 months old. I found Ryuuki's mother at the back of my house and she wanted me to take care of her infant. I agreed to her request and later she left my house to distract the villains away from my place. She never returned after that and I assumed she was killed. I then raised Ryuuki together with Shinobu and he left my side to search for his father's land when he reached teenage. He visits me quite frequently and the night he found Rin in the forest was the usual visit that he was making."

"And the villagers had no problems with you raising the cat? So why making this fuss over Rin and Aito?" The demon lord growls in slight exasperation.

"Because they know the story of Ryuuki but Rin didn't want to tell about her life and that's why people tend to assume she was an unworthy whore." The lady admits distressingly while Sesshoumaru roars in rage.

"Unworthy whore? How dare them!" Tsuyu eyeing melancholy at the Taiyoukai's reaction, she understands the young lord's rage but is shamed at herself since she is human too. _If a demon would accept a human as their mate why can't human beings be generous to demons?_ The lady thinks painfully.

"Life after Aito's birth was filled with happiness for Rin. I have never seen the girl smile ever since she reached the village. The kid means so much for her and the fact she named her son after affection just shows how much she loves the father of the kid. That's why the girl constantly rejects Ryuuki, but that gentleman isn't going to give up on Rin. He told me as long as Aito's father doesn't shows up, he has the right to court the girl and he really means to take care of her." Sesshoumaru eyes narrows and darts at Tsuyu.

"I am not here to know about the leopard's interest to court my wife. Rin is mine and Aito is my son, that's the end of Ryuuki's personal crush." The old woman almost chuckles at the Taiyoukai's statement; she shakes her head at the dog demon's jealousy act. Tsuyu then lifts her head and stares at the starry skies, a warm breeze blows and the night seems calm. The topic that she is going to bring up now isn't suitable for the current scenery. She shuts her eyes tightly and inhales deeply.

"I almost believe that happiness was never meant for Rin. Just when she had found her reason to smile with her son, another disastrous event happened in her life. Two years ago, a group of bandits attacked our village just right after Ryuuki was off for duty. They stole our crops, killed the villagers and ..." Tsuyu's chin falls to her chest as tears start rolling down the side of her cheek at thought of the appalling incident.

"Several young innocent girls were taken violently and the villagers were only able to watch on helplessly. If Ryuuki and his companions didn't arrive in time, we all would be slaughtered completely by the bandits. His companions managed to take down quite a lot of the bandits but some managed to flee. When the bandits cleared from the village my thoughts instantly flashed back to Rin. Instantaneously, I instructed Ryuuki to check on the girl." Sesshoumaru's hands clenches into tight fists. He is impatient to hear the whole scene no matter how bad it turns out.

"Rin was being beaten up badly when Ryuuki reached there and one of the bandits had Aito in his hand. We knew that she was being threatened ..." The demon lord cuts off the lady's sentences with his sudden question.

"Did they?" Tsuyu doesn't pick up the meaning behind the question as she stares at the demon lord inquisitively.

"Did they rape Rin?" Sesshoumaru growls out loud. The old lady's eyes widen stupefied with her mouth parting wide open at the dog demon's sudden inquiry.

"No they didn't rape her, but was about to from the description Ryuuki gave me. But she was wounded so badly. When Ryuuki summoned me and the physician to the hut, my heart almost stop beating seeing her wounded body. I hugged Aito and comforted him while the physician tended to Rin. We thought the girl wasn't going to make it but her strong will to survive had surprised everyone of us. I knew that Rin refused to give up and leave Aito behind. Under proper treatment and intensive care, it took five months for Rin to recover. But since then her health was weakening and she constantly fell ill." Tsuyu takes a deep breath and then exhales.

"I recommended Rin to work at the kitchen because then she doesn't need to worry about Aito's meal. The boy will grow up and the amount of food he needs will increase eventually." The old lady rises on her feet, adjusts her kimono and turns to face the Taiyoukai.

"That was the last unpleasant incident that happened before you showed up. I have no more stories to tell." Sesshoumaru is on his feet and bows a little to show his respect to the old woman. Tsuyu smiles weakly as she returns the bow.

"Young Lord Sesshoumaru, I know you're the one who holds her heart. She has suffered far too much for her age and I wish happiness will return to her once again. Only you can do it." Her smile widens as she bows again before taking her leave.

Watching Tsuyu's shadow fade away the Taiyoukai whispers, _I will not let her go away again, even if I have to lock her up._

_Back to the hut,_

Aito instantly runs to the Sesshoumaru's side as the demon lord approaches the river with Jaken following closely behind the kid.

"My lord you're back! Where have you been alone?" The imp instantly inquires but receives a stern glare from the Taiyoukai. The green toad instantly falls back and bows for forgiveness.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, where have you been for so long? Mother and Aito miss you so so so much." The boy tugs at the dog demon's hakama while looking up with his pleading puppy eyes. Sesshoumaru's lips curl into a small smile as he drops into one knee and pulls his son closer to his chest. _This is such a beautiful moment, to be greeted by someone when returning. It will be even more wonderful if Aito calls me father._ The Taiyoukai thinks as he tightens the hold around the boy's waist and places a kiss on his forehead.

"Nowhere, just checking on the surroundings to ensure no danger." Aito nods with a broad smile on his face. Jaken's eyes narrow in annoyance as to why he doesn't get the same answer to his earlier question which is almost similar to the boy's question except for the puppy eyes look.

"Have you eaten?" Sesshoumaru asks softly into his son's ear. Aito inclines as yes.

"Where's your mother?" The demon lord adds.

"Mother is sitting outside of the hut and resting. Aito didn't let mother do any cleaning work. I washed all the plates with Jaken." The boy states proudly.

"Good boy." The Taiyoukai strokes his son's head as the boy sends a toothy smile to the demon lord.

"Continue your work I shall speak to your mother." Aito nods as he watches his lord walk to the hut. He then drags the green toad back to the river and forces him to wash the rest of the utensils with him.

Rin brings her hands closer to her mouth as she blows some air onto her palms hoping to bring down the sting. Sesshoumaru catches a glimpse of the girl's action with his heart filled with guilt.

He walks to the girl's side and immediately she drops her hands on her laps and smiles sweetly at her lord.

"Welcome back my lord." The demon lord settles himself close next to the girl. He doesn't respond, in fact he doesn't know how to and what to say. After knowing the girl's life in these four years, the Taiyoukai admits that his heart is broken into million pieces. Without Aito, he can't imagine how Rin would have survived that awful life. All he wants to do now is embrace the girl in his strong arms and ensure her that life after today will be only filled with smiles and no more tears allowed.

Rin notices that her lord seems lost, she bends slightly to look at the Taiyoukai face but his golden eyes catch the warm brown eyes.

"What ails you my lord?" She asks worriedly with an innocent weak smile.

_She always worries about everyone around her._ Sesshoumaru thinks as he taps on his laps as an invitation for the girl to sit on his lap.

Rin gasps at the sudden invitation; she blinks her eyes a couple of times before she gets on her knees and moves in front of Sesshoumaru. The demon lord then cradles the poor girl in his lap with her head resting on his broad right shoulder on top of his mokomoko. He then holds the girl tightly with his strong arms. Rin closes her eyes as she feels the warm embrace, like there's no tomorrow. Both are sharing that beautiful moment wordlessly.

"Rin, how do you feel now? Do you still have those bone pains?" Sesshoumaru whispers softly into the girl's ears.

"No, I feel much better as long as I don't overdo myself. I almost don't feel any more pain." She replies with her eyes staying closed. Sesshoumaru moves his left hand and places it on Rin's hands. Slowly he caresses the bandage on her palms and it causes the girl to jerk her hands a little. Her eyes shoot open as she bites her inner lips to shows she's in pain.

"Sorry." The Taiyoukai apologizes instantly and causes Rin's eyes to widen in astonishment.

"No its alright, its really not that hurting, I just feel a little sting that's all, not really in great pain." She forces a small smile and it looks like she's hiding her pain. Sesshoumaru shakes his head. _Rin oh Rin_.

"I – I am sorry Rin." His voice softens and sounds melancholy.

"Sorry for what my lord? You didn't do anything wrong." She inquires seriously, emphasizing her words with confused expressions.

"For I not being able to be there for you all the time." The demon lord presses the staggered girl's head on his shoulder to prevent her from seeing his face. Her arms slowly encircle around the Taiyoukai's waist and weakly declines her head.

"I failed to hear your voice calling out for my help in the forest when Aito was born. I failed to be there to clear all the disgusting accusations those humans threw at you and Aito. I failed to be there to rescue when the bandits marred your marble skin with their filthy hands." Several drops of water fall on top of Rin's head. "I even failed to stop you this morning, when your bare hands grabbed on the cat's blade. Tell me Rin, what's the use of this Sesshoumaru to be called as a strongest demon when I wasn't able to protect you and my son." These few precious salty tears are streaming down from the great dog demon Sesshoumaru's eyes and wets the girl's forehead.

Instantaneously, the girl lifts her head up to face the Taiyoukai. Rin's heart burrows in pain as her eye brows drop with a gloomy expression worn on her face. Raising her wounded right hand close to her lord's face, she gently wipes off the tears from the demon lord's cheek with her fingertips.

"Please my lord, do not shed tears for me, what had happened to me was the path that I chose and you have never failed to protect to me when you are around. So please don't blame yourself my lord, please." Sesshoumaru reaches out to Rin's hand and places it on his armored chest.

"Then don't sacrifice anymore for me Rin, does life really mean nothing to you? What will Aito feel when you get injured? Do you care how everyone around you feels when you are hurt?" Rin lowers her gaze in guilt but the demon lord tilts her chin up with another free hand.

"More importantly, do you care how I feel? Enough Rin, you must learn how to love yourself. Can you promise me that my love?" The girl turns her head aside to avoid the Taiyoukai's gaze and slightly nods in agreement.

"Good, now that's my Rin." He smirks while slightly pushing the girl's head to face him. He then leans forward and catches her lips with his own for a short kiss before resting her head on his broad shoulder.

A short silence falls between them. Both Sesshoumaru and Rin stare at the direction of the river and their son splashing water onto the helpless green toad. As the boy catches his mother and demon lord looking at him, he waves his hand happily at them.

"Rin." Sesshoumaru whispers softly. Rin pulls away a little and stares at the demon lord's face.

"Yes?"

"I heard the snow in the North never melt. It could be just a legend passed down from the locals, do you wish to find out the truth and see the snow in summer? It will be amazing." Her large brown eyes stare at the demon lord in bewilderment.

"If you don't like it, we could stop at the East to visit princess Rika. The last time when I was there to search for you, she give birth to twin boys. Aito will definitely get a long well with them." Rin's eyelashes flutter slightly as she feels tears beginning to moist her eyes. Sesshoumaru pays no attention as he continues on.

"Or we could stop at the South first; the lord of the South will be pleased to know that you are safe. He used to treat you like his own daughter and he will be delighted when he gets to know about Aito." The girl's eyes are now glassing over with unshed tears.

"If we keep going on like this, we will forget the way back to the West." Her jaw clenches as she speaks with a little teasing tone.

"We don't have to go back to the west." Sesshoumaru smirks with his statement. Tears brim in her eyes, when she is about to respond a clawed finger reaches to touch over Rin's lips preventing any further speech.

"Rin, we will travel everywhere you wish to go. If you carry our next child we can choose to return here and settle down until our child is ready to travel again." His hand strays onto the girl's lower back, pushing her towards him. His grip is firm and secure.

"We would not return to the castle."

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**Chapter end notes:**

I owe an apology to Ni Ni Chan, I promise her to update this chapter before her school start but on Saturday, the site was down and it is up on Monday early morning.

Sorry my dear, I hope you still have some time to read this. L

I am late once again and I am really sorry. My beta was unable to finish this in time and I was extremely busy with my work. Anyway here's the chapter 17. What do you think? Is that a yes or no from Rin? Sesshoumaru has learns about Rin's past and determines to be there for her and his son.

**Next chapter (18):** The sudden visit, an unknown missing

**Chapter 19**: My Guardian Angel, My father

**Chapter 20**: Forgiven and Reunion

Recently, I have read one very interesting story from my reviewer name 'elusivequeenbee'

The title of the story is ' An Angel's Heart '

I love the storyline and would like to recommend everyone to read it.

She also written another one shot story name '10000 Years And One Day ' - Perfect description and a very lovely story.

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**Anonymous reviews reply:**

**Jolie:** Ta da! Surprise for you! The title of the story didn't sounds that bad right? :-) They will not return to the castle because Sesshoumaru chooses the best solution for Rin. Thanks for the marshmallow I really love it! And for that I present you this chapter. Aito will get to knows about his father in the coming chapters. Enjoy this chapter dear Jolie. Thank you for your review and support.

**Caraline fisher :** lol sorry for the cliff. Hope you enjoy the new chapter. Thanks for your review dear (^_^) P/s- Update your story ok? hehe

**pooky :** Thank you for your review :-) I am proud that you read my story since you never read any Sesshoumaru/Rin romance story before (^_^) Thanks for letting me know about the grammar errors, I will let my Beta knows about it, perhaps he's over looks for certain part.

**Naala :** Yay! Is ok for the late review but you have finally check in! I swear I won't update if you didn't read it.

Thank you for liking Ryuuki scenes and understanding his anger towards Sesshoumaru. At least you willing to walk out from the circle and learn from Ryuuki's side. I am really happy with your thoughtful.

No problem, I will not forget about Ryuuki. Readers express their wish to see a good ending for him and so I will write one. After all he is the man who was once care and loves our Rin (^_^) I never aim to make him a bad guy from the beginning, just a man who madly falls in love.

Sorry about the cliff, I hope this chapter answers a thing or two about Rin's life. After this we will move on to Aito. (^_^) Until then you take care too and cheers!


	18. The sudden visit and the vanishing act

**Chapter notes:**

"_The greatest pain that comes from love is loving someone you can never love. It feels like reaching for a star. You know you'll never reach it, but you just got to keep trying."_

"_Loving someone is all about setting them free, letting them go. You will be happy when they find their happiness."_

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The Lily of the Valley signifies **"****_The Return of Happiness"_**

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**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi. **_

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**Chapter 18 – The sudden visit and the vanishing act **

Rin wakes up by the feeling of a strong hand massaging her forehead. She parts her eyes slowly and blinks a couple of times to clear her blurry vision. She turns her head to the right and finds an arm resting on her pillow. She follows the arm which is attached to a shoulder and then a neck followed by Sesshoumaru's face. Rin smiles as her hazelnut eyes cross with the demon lord's warm golden orbs. His lips curl into a small smile as he whispers weakly.

"It's not dawn yet Rin, you shouldn't be up so early." The demon lord's hand brushes the girl's bangs and caresses one of her cheeks tenderly.

"No, its fine. I had slept enough." As she rewards her lord with another smile of assurance, the girl then lowers her gaze to find her son snuggled beneath her arms with his thumb nicely buried into his mouth. Rin chuckles at her son's childish behavior shaking her head lightly. She slowly rises to a sitting position and pulls her son's thumb out from his mouth.

"You're such a thumb sucker." She kisses on one of her son's cheeks. Sesshoumaru's hand tenderly strokes on his son's hair while watching the girl wipe the boy's thumb on her kimono sleeve. As he observes the boy's mouth partly searching for his thumb, a small thought crosses his mind.

"Who do you think that Aito resembles more, you or me?" Rin looks up to the demon lord and chuckles at his query. The Taiyoukai stares at the girl with an inquisitive mind.

"Even without all the features on Aito's face, he still resembles you my lord." Her fingers trace along the boy's forehead down to his chin.

"When I first held him in my arms, his cried out loudly and broke the silence in the forest to assure me that I had successfully delivered him alive. Those cute sunset puppy eyes parted a little along with his short silver white hair that resembled the powerful Taiyoukai of the west, I knew he'll grow up to be a strong man. Even if he is just a half demon; I will make him feel proud to be the son of Sesshoumaru." Her melancholy voice pierces through the demon lord's heart. Her smiles fade and her eyes glass over with unshed tears. This memory of a nightmarish chapter in the girl's life will never be forgotten.

Sesshoumaru reaches out his hand and firmly presses at a side of girl's face to comfort her. Rin gazes up to her lord with a bitter smile wearing on her face to assure that she is fine.

"Rin, half demon or not my blood flows in Aito's body and he is always be my proud son." The girl's lips inches towards a big smile as she nods in agreement.

The Taiyoukai lowers his body and gently presses his lips on the girl's. She's gasps and is taken aback with her large hazelnut eyes widened in shock. Immediately the demon lord's hand slips through one side of the girl's neck with his palm firmly resting at the back of her head. He pushes her head inwardly towards him and captures her sweet lips for another smooch. This time he has better control with his hand supporting at the back of his ward's head.

Rin's response is timid at first, but when the Taiyoukai leaves no room for the girl to break away she returns the kiss at the same pace as her lord's. As the Taiyoukai's tongue slowly thrusts into the shy girl's, both are drowning in their own heaven until both sides of their faces are smacked.

They break the kiss instantly to look down at their son stretching out his arms high up in the air for a yawn.

"Wrong time my son." Sesshoumaru whispers softly with slight disappointment. Rin elbows the demon lord as her eyes narrows with a warning glare. Aito's eyes blinks a couple of times before tilting his head up at the two lost adults who look rather stupefied.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! Mother!" The boy jumps onto his knees and throws his arms around Rin's waist. The sudden hug brings the girl back to reality after that passionate kiss with her lord. She returns the hug with a light smile at the kid's childish behavior while gently stroking at his back.

"How was your sleep my son?" She asks while the boy releases his arms and looks up at his mother's face.

"It was good." He makes a short reply and quickly turns away to take one of his mother's hands and observes carefully. Rubbing his hand carefully on the surface of the bandage the boy continues, "Mother, are you still in pain?"

Rin pats her son's messy hair with another free hand with her smile broadened. "No, I feel much better sweetie." and she kisses the boy's temple. Aito tries to be serious by reading his mother's face. His large sunset eyes rolling from left to right, up and down to figure out whether his mother is telling the truth. Satisfied with his observations, the boy's childish nature returns as he smiles toothily and nods happily.

Sesshoumaru cradles his son abruptly onto his lap causing the kid to gasp in surprise. The boy glances up and greets his lord excitedly.

"Good morning, my lord!" The demon lord merely nods with one of his hands stroking at the top of his son's head while Aito shuts his eyes off to enjoy the touch.

"Why are you up early child?" Aito looks up at his lord and blinks in confusion.

"But mother also up early, so why is she awake so early?" The Taiyoukai's eyes narrows at his son's inquiry. Rin on the other hand is grinning at her lord's reaction.

"Aito, you are not supposed to a ask question on top of mine, I expect an answer from you."

A moment of silence falls between the trio, the boy's gaze never leaves the demon lord's face as his eyes blink perplexed.

"Am I not supposed to wake up?" Rin almost chocks with Aito's question, Sesshoumaru is startled while the boy stares enthusiastically waiting for an answer.

"Of course you can wake up my son." Aito turns to face his mother as she explains, "What Lord Sesshoumaru means is errrm kids usually need longer sleep time than an adult, that's why we are curious."

Another moment of silence falls, obviously this is not a good answer but before the boy manages to raise another head eating inquiry, Rin quickly changes the topic to divert his attention away from the uncomfortable topic.

"Now tell me my little one, are you hungry?" Sesshoumaru stares at the girl in amazement. The fact that she's able to think quickly and change the topic to divert the kid's attention away is something he could never handle.

"Yes I am. Mother what do you want to eat? Fish? Chicken? Anything you want I will hunt for you except boar, Aito isn't strong enough to kill one." He rolls his puppy eyes to the Taiyoukai's side.

"I will get one for you if you want." The boy stretches his hands high up into the air with joy before throwing his arms around the dog demon's neck.

"Enough with the boar my dear, I want some fish for today." Upon hearing his mother's request, Aito releases his embrace around his lord's neck and jumps off from the bed.

"I will go and get the fish now." He answers excitedly and turns to head to the wooden door, but pauses at the side of the place where the green toad is resting.

"Aito," The boy cocks his head to the side and looks at his mother.

"You will go without master Jaken." The boy is startled by his mother's instruction. _How could mother know what I intended to do?_ He thinks with his eyes widened.

"Are you listening at me? It is still early so let master Jaken sleep." Aito twitches his lips and nods unhappily. His eyes rolls to the Taiyoukai's face as he tries to send some pleading signals to get help.

Sesshoumaru captures his son's begging, he turns to Rin and before he could mouth a word the girl raises her hand up as a sign to stop her lord.

"No help from Lord Sesshoumaru, now go on to freshen yourself up without master Jaken." Rin warns seriously, quickly the boy nods and runs to the door but spares an unsatisfied glare at the toad who is slumbering off peacefully. _I will keep a lot of work for Jaken._ Aito smirks at his evil plan as he runs off excitedly to the river.

Sesshoumaru grabs Rin's hand and places it on his lap, another hand rests on top of the girl's hand.

"He just needs company Rin." His voice softens, it almost sounds like pleading. Rin sighs, she pulls the blanket away with another free hand and moves herself to the side of the bed with her legs touching the floor.

"I know my lord, but poor master Jaken shouldn't be the victim all the time. Aito has caused a lot of trouble and I feel pity for master Jaken. So I will go and company Aito." Her feet reaches for a pair of sandals and prepares to depart before a strong hand grips onto her right wrist and pulls her body towards the demon lord's awaiting arms.

Sesshoumaru leans closer to Rin until both of their faces are separated by only inches.

"Oh Rin." He tenderly whispers into the girl's ear.

"Yes?" Their gazes locked at each other for a moment before the demon lord leans even more closely with their noses caressing each other.

"Aito is not here now." The girl frowns.

"So?"

"So we should continue what we had started earlier." Before Rin is able to respond Sesshoumaru's lips captures the girl's as he kisses her passionately. She leans backward a little with the force of the kiss but manages to maintain her balance since the Taiyoukai's hands are supporting at her back.

Sesshomaru thrusts his tongue within before she could offer any resistance, with each blow delivered his kisses become deeper and his hold, tighter. Before long Rin surrenders and wraps her arms around the Taiyoukai's neck returning his passion.

While their tongues still dance, Sesshomaru subtly rakes his tongue across one of his fangs. His blood flows freely in his mouth and sucks the girl's tongue close to his fangs where he bites down gently allowing her blood to flow. As their blood join, they both purred in unison.

It is the need for air that forces the two to finally separate. Rin notices the blood around Sesshoumaru's lips, her hazelnut eyes narrows in concern as she raises her bandaged hand and wipes the blood away. The demon lord returns the same gesture and wipes the girl's lips with his claw fingers.

"Do not worry, this is just blood exchange. Neither of us hurt each other." The Taiyoukai presses his lips on her nose. The girl merely nods.

"Rin I need to go somewhere, should return before sun set." Rin snaps her head up and looks into her lord's warm golden orbs.

"Where will you be going?" She asks curiously.

"We need to prepare several things before travel." Rin looks down at her lord's answer, she is a bit worried at this moment.

"But, I have not th-..." The demon lord's claw finger immediately presses on the girl's lips, preventing her to speak further.

"You hardly have a choice Rin, for if you say no I would make you say yes." The girl blinks her widened eyes.

"How would you achieve that?" She asks in bewilderment. Sesshoumaru smirks and swiftly bends to pick the girl up in a bridal style and walks to the bed. Rin gasps as she struggles to free herself from the Taiyoukai.

"Wait, wait what are you doing my lord. Put me down!" Her voices turn out as a small scream and it pleases the demon lord. He lays the girl down on the bed and climbs on top of the girl. Totally unprepared for what the Taiyukai has done, Rin lays still and paralyzed.

Sesshoumaru takes the opportunity to kiss the startled girl at the side of her neck passionately. Rin feels the heat from her blush. Sesshoumaru stops to glance at the girl's face flushed in red like cherries.

"You look beautiful with those red cheeks." Sesshoumaru caresses his finger on one of the girl's cheeks. He observes the girl's lips curling into a small bitter sweet smile, unfortunately it fades shortly. She looks away but the Taiyoukai can distinctly smell the scent of tears and feels the sadness emanating from her body. _Have I pushed her too much?_ He questions in his thought.

"Rin, all I need from you is to follow me; you never hesitated about it before especially when you were a child. Why now?" He inquires downhearted seeking for an answer. The girl turns with her shining hazelnut eyes drowning into the warm pitiful golden orbs.

"I never hesitate to follow you my lord, I just, ..." She sniffs harder and tries to hold the tears. "I fear." The demon lord is instantly pained by the words.

"Why do you allow fear to develop in my presence?" Sesshoumaru's voice softens, he sounds disappointed.

"But when you are not around?" She adds sadly. No response from the Taiyoukai.

_I was not there for her 5 years ago when something happened in the castle. Someone must have forced her to leave me. I am the cause of her insecurity. _

"I am here now Rin." He brushes the girl's bangs with his fingers and pulls a few strands to tucks them behind her ear.

"Come." Sesshoumaru helps Rin into a sitting position, moving to the edge of the bed he holds the girl's hands firmly while waiting for her to put the sandal on. He then wraps an arm around the fragile girl's waist and leads her to the wooden door.

Once the pair reach by the river, the demon lord takes his leave and reminds the duo to not wander too far off from the hut for safety reasons. Rin and Aito nod in agreement as the Taiyoukai leaps into the air, the boy waves his hands rapidly to say good bye.

When the sun appears above the horizon in the east, Rin and Aito have both freshened up and are ready for the hunt. Jaken jerks up from his sleep when the girl is about to leave the hut, he is told by the girl that the Taiyoukai is away to arrange several matters. The green kappa feels extremely downhearted for his lord has once again left him behind.

Reluctantly, the imp joins the girl and her son at the river. Aito feels extremely happy to catch fish in front of his mother. His improved skill has allowed him to catch quite a lot of fish and it will be stored for their afternoon meals as well. Rin smiles delightfully at the sight of her son jumping in triumph enjoying the hunt. Her lord is right, she should allow the boy to do more hunting, and it looks like it does make him a lot happier and stronger.

After about an hour and half has passed, the breakfast is ready and the trio have their food together. Aito is in much chatty mood and the green toad remains silent. When they finish their meals, Jaken is dragged by the boy to the nearby river to do a lot of cleaning. It goes exactly like his plans for the revenge while Rin shakes her head helplessly at her son's naughty behavior. She returns to the hut and technically arranges some clothes in the wooden wardrobe. Since they will start travelling, the girl thinks that she needs to make sure to pack enough clothes for her son.

While Rin is busy folding the clothes, her mind wanders at the thought of being able to travel again at her lord's side. What makes her rejoice even more is that the number of members has increased and she knows the boy is going to love all the places that they will visit. Her lips curl into a small blissful smile.

When all the clothes are folded neatly, the girl closes the wardrobe and walks to the nearby window. The morning is beautiful with light breezes cooling the surroundings under the strong sun shine. Birds are chirruping on the trees while butterflies spot circulate around some beautiful flowers that Rin had planted. Her smile falls, at the thought of leaving this small hut behind. Even though she has gone through many hardships in this village, this hut has been considered as her home ever since Aito came to this world.

The times that she has spent with Tsuyu and Akemi will become one of the most cherished memories in her life. Tsuyu always treats Rin like her own daughter while Akemi is fond of the girl like a real sister. _I will never forget anyone in this village; I will definitely visit them often._ The girl thinks as she takes a deep breath and leans at the side of the window.

While Rin is excited about the journey and slightly downhearted with the departure, fears play a strong part in this sudden decision. Although she did not literally say yes to her lord, the demon lord seems determined with his decision. The conversation took place before dawn but its freshly playing in her mind.

_Will happiness return if I stay away from the West? Is Lord Sesshoumaru really willing to leave everything behind for me and Aito's sake? What if she finds out about this?_ Rin desperately shakes the thought away. She can't deny that her happiness is being held by this lady, but if Sesshoumaru chooses to stay away from his fortress, the girl thinks that she might have another chance to rebuild her own family.

More importantly, she has another problem that needs to be taken care off. Aito, the boy needs to know the truth about his father. There's no way she will start travelling without revealing this secret. But the question is _how?_

Rin rests both of her hands over her chest, she's trembles, she can't imagine her son's reaction when he gets to know about his long lost father. Although Aito admires Sesshoumaru, will he ever see the Taiyoukai as his father? Will the boy end up hating him? Or worse the kid could even hate his heartless mother, who is the culprit behind this separation.

The girl bits her inner lips with anxiety, she can't afford to lose her son, Aito is her only reason to live. But she too shouldn't be so selfish to run away from this issue, Sesshoumaru on the other hand has every right to tell the boy about the truth, but up until now he has never ever pressured the girl. He has never mentioned about this issue and only calls Aito as his son in front of the girl. _My lord is really an understanding person and a gentlemen. He will never force me to anything out of my will._ Guilt fills Rin's heart at the thought.

As the girl releases her hands away from her chest, she looks at the blood stain over the bandage. _The mix blood between my lord and I._ Rin smiles genuinely for no reason, it comes naturally and she can't explain it.

_I wonder if this blood exchange holds the same significance as marking._ Rin's mind drifts away and drowns in her own world.

Ryuuki has been wandering around the hut for quite sometime. He doesn't sense the demon lord's presence nor even Rin and Aito's. _Could it be they are by the river?_ He braves himself and walks to the small hut. No sign of Aito too but he spots the wooden door ajar and thinks it might be a wise idea to first check the hut.

As he steps one foot into the hut, he spots the girl leaning at one of the windows. She seems too lost in her own thoughts and doesn't notice his presence. He wishes to knock the door but is overwhelmed by the sight of the girl; he then decides to observe her silently.

Rin, has her long dark raven hair cascading down past her waist. The light wind blowing has carried few strands of her hair towards the direction of the wind. Ryuuki feels the need to comb the beautiful hair with his fingers and bury his nose into her hair to take a whiff of her scent. _I bet her hair will smell like those flowers she had planted._ The leopard allows his eyes to scan the girl's slender body, she is thin but the curves are still visible. He just wishes to hug the girl from behind and kiss her cheeks.

Ryuuki looks away from Rin and lightly slaps on his face. He can never allow himself to do such a thing when the girl actively rejects his love. At this point his anger towards Sesshoumaru has risen. _If only the dog didn't show up, Rin could have been my wife!_ While the leopard cusses in his thoughts he notices a bandaged hand waving in front of his eyes. He jerks up and sees that Rin is now standing in front of him and waving to get his attention.

"Master Ryuuki, are you alright?" Rin asks in concern. Ryuuki smiles with one of his hand scratching at the back of his head.

"You caught me off guard. I was thinking something else." The cat laughs whole heartedly while Rin chuckles at his statement.

_That sweet innocent smile, she is really like an angel. It was this very smile that captured my heart. How could I live without seeing her again? _Ryuuki discards the painful thought away.

"Rin, are you free now? Can we talk for awhile?" The girl nods and guides the leopard out of the hut. As they move closer to the river side, both Aito and Jaken's eyes are wide open by the presence of the cat.

"Good morning Aito." Ryuuki yells but the boy doesn't move. He looks rather astounded and Rin understands why her son reacts so.

"Aito, mother needs to talk to master Ryuuki, please do not wander too far off from this place. Promise?" Still remaining silent; the boy only inclines his head in agreement. Jaken too seems to have lost his voice. As the duo walks to another side of the river and settles down, Aito discreetly follows his mother.

"Hey kid, where are you going?" Aito pays no heed and continues shadowing them until he reaches at the nearby bushes and hides himself behind it. The green toad is instantly at the boy's side and yells.

"Hey kid, you can not eavesdrop, it is bad." Aito blinks at the toad, perplexed.

"What does eavesdropping mean?" Jaken glares at the boy in annoyance.

"It means you are not supposed to hear what they talk about without their permission." The boy puts a finger on his closed lips as a sign for the little kappa to be silent.

"Hey boy did you hear what I said? We can not do this." The imp yells furiously but is pulled forcefully by the Aito, who keeps toad at his side.

"You talk too loud Jaken, mother will know of our presence." The kid continues peeping his mother and the leopard demon while Jaken completely gives up at attempting to stop the boy. _He will never listen anyway._ The green toad murmurs.

Ryuuki chooses to rest under a giant tree, facing the river. He knows Rin loves the view of the river especially at night. The girl seats herself under the tree with the leopard demon joining close at her side. Aito and Jaken are hiding behind the bushes located right behind them, not too close but enough to listen to their conversation.

"How are your hands?" He asks worriedly.

"Not too bad, at least the pain has reduced compare to yesterday." She smiles while adjusting her kimono skirt. Ryuuki spots some blood stain on Rin's bandage, immediately his heart falls despondent.

"Rin, your hands are still bleeding." Rin looks down and checks her hand to find the blood stain that Ryuuki is referring too. _It was the blood I wipe from Lord Sesshoumaru's mouth._ The girl ponders over how to answer the man before him.

"Th-the blood belongs to... Aito, yes errr he bit his lip and bled and I wiped it with my hand." Ryuuki nods, even though the answer seems odd he knows that Rin is trying to make him feel less guilty.

Aito frowns at the back of the bushes; he touches his lips and feels no sign of pain. _I don't remember that I bit my own lips till it bled._ The boy scratches the side of his head curiously.

Ryuuki eyes observe the surroundings, he seems in search of something and it catches Rin's attention. But the girl knows what the leopard demon is looking for.

"Lord Sesshoumaru is away, he will be back before sun set." Ryuuki almost chocks at the statement. He turns and finds the girl covering her mouth and giggling.

"Ha ha you are smart as always Rin. So the dog is not here, no wonder I can sit here so peacefully without being attacked." At this point, the girl can't help but to let out a hearty laugh. The leopard demon eyes the girl mystified.

"Sorry master Ryuuki, I didn't mean to be rude, I just think that sometimes Lord Sesshoumaru and you act much like children, in fact more childish than Aito. He would call you leopard and you would call him dog. You two are really funny." Rin continues laughing while Ryuuki stares intently at the girl. He has never seen the girl laugh as merrily as this moment before.

"I have never seen you laugh like this before, you must be really happy to be with the dog." Rin stops her laughter at the leopard's comment, she then gazes down on her lap and smiles delightfully. The expression on her face is enough to make the cat demon jealous.

"Yes." A simple answer from the girl is enough to crush the leopard's heart. He begins to wonder, hasn't their relationship been improving in these four years?

"Rin." Ryuuki calls out in a rather gloomy tone.

"Yes?" She turns to look at the leopard demon, whose eyes are locked at the river and refuses to face his angel.

"Am I not good enough for you?" A stunned Rin's mouth parts open slightly. Her hazelnut eyes widen, startled by the sudden interrogation. The girl remains silent, not that she doesn't know how to answer but she is evaluating the impact of her words and wishes to not hurt her savior's heart.

"Master Ryuuki, you are such a kind hearted person, caring and a good man. But," She pauses; the leopard waits in anticipation to hear the next words. "You deserve a better girl."

The leopard demon turns swiftly at the fragile girl, his jaw drops and almost isn't able to find his voice to speak.

"What the hell are you saying Rin? Better girl? You are a beauty beyond comparison; any man would want your hand. You have a big heart and would sacrifice for anyone. So you are beyond better! Any man would be proud to have you by their side." He declares seriously.

"But you deserve to find a girl that loves you back with all her heart. I can't afford to do that, as my heart belongs to someone else." Her voice softens with her heart downcast. She has been trying to avoid this issue, hoping she won't wound the leopard. Rin knows Ryuuki had a crush on her ever since he saved them in the forest, but her heart is held by Sesshoumaru and there is no way she can even forget her lord. Aito's existence proves their relationship.

"I can wait for you! If the dog doesn't shows up, I have confidence to pursue you and bring Aito along to my tribe. I know about your devotion, but time is the best medicine. I have confidence that I can make you change your mind, and even if we have to stay forever without any physical intimacy, I wouldn't mind. All I want is for you to stay with me; it is your smile that encourages me and gives me strength to live on." The girl is completely startled by the leopard demon's statements. _He has already planned my life this far? _The thought has made the girl feel extremely guilty, if only she had insisted on rejecting him earlier; he wouldn't have to waste his time on her.

"I am so sorry master Ryuuki, please forgive me." _Enough!_ He screams silently in his head, the more he asks the more she will break his heart, he would rather walk off with at least a dim light of hope left.

"So in these four years, have we not developed any relationship at all?" He adds painfully. Rin draws her legs up to her chest and embraces them, with her chin resting in between her knees.

"We have become much fonder of each other right? Together with Akemi Tsuyu san always treats us like her own kids." Ryuuki sighs disheartened. _So we are literally only brother and sister._ He shakes his head with his heart crushed with grief.

"So," His abrupt exclamation draws the girl's attention as she looks up at the leopard demon. "I hope I didn't disturb you with my sudden visit." He smiles towards the girl. Rin shakes her heads lightly indicating as a 'no'.

"Of course not, I have just folded some clothes and pretty much have nothing to do. Besides, even if you were not visiting me today, I would do so in a few days time." Ryuuki raises his eye brows in surprise.

"For what?" He asks curiously.

"To say good bye." The leopard demon's heart shatters into a million pieces. _So she has decided, I wish I didn't know that._ He sighs in disbelief that the girl he has known and loved for 4 years will soon disappear from his life.

"I wish to have known you earlier than the dog. So I would have the chance to win your heart." He smirks at the girl who's now eyeing him with slightly widened eyes. She then lets out of a loud burst of laughter and it confuses the cat.

"Then you will have to have known me before I turned 7." Ryuuki's jaw pops wide open with his eyes balls almost ready to pop out. Rin laughs at his reaction and explains what she means.

"I was only 7 years old when I met Lord Sesshoumaru in the forest." She uses her hand to cover her mouth for a light chuckle. The leopard is immobilized for a while before he too laughs out loud.

"Damn you dog," He continues another painful laugh as he admits defeat by the Tauiyoukai.

At the back of the duo behind the thick bushes, Aito almost falls asleep by the boring and confusing conversation while Jaken keeps yawning from time to time. Both are on the verge of losing interest in listening.

"I shall leave then before the dog returns and roasts me up." Ryuuki is on his feet and Rin too rises from the ground.

"Thank you for everything master Ryuuki, I will never forget you." She bows a little to show her respect but the leopard doesn't like that formality at all. He doesn't want to say good bye and he hates to hear all the thankful words from the girl. He let out a heavy sigh and nods. He too returns the bow. Both exchange smiles before the cat demon turns and prepares to leave. He stops short and something crosses his mind that he wishes to ask the girl. Ryuuki turns to face his angel once again.

"Rin, you know, I have watched Aito from the moment he wore diapers till he crawled, walked and spoke. Aito and I were pretty much fond of each other since I literally watched him growing up. But his unusual reaction in the forest yesterday somehow surprised me." The girl raises her eye brow bewildered.

"What has Aito done?" She is eager to know about what happen before Sesshoumaru's confrontation with Ryuuki.

"No, it is nothing related to what he has done, it is just that he wasn't looking quite happy to see me, somehow I felt him distance away from me and that we lost the bond. When Sesshoumaru appears, he instantly gets to his side and something is really bothering me in the boy's gaze towards the dog. I mean he can't be gaining all this closeness in just a month's time compared to me who has spent almost 4 years with the kid." Rin cocks her head to the side and stares at the river.

"Yes, he is very fond of Lord Sesshoumaru from their very first meeting, I was not too surprised by that." Her voice almost fades away together with the blowing wind. Ryuuki observes the girl intently; she looks rather uncertain with something. And since she mentioned about knowing the dog demon at the age of 7, it wouldn't be hard for the leopard demon to guess the connection between the kid and the Taiyoukai. He walks a closer to the girl and places his hands on the girl's shoulders. Rin gasps at the touch and looks up at Ryuuki.

"Tell me Rin, is Sesshoumaru Aito's father?" Rin is astounded by the unprepared question, while at the back of the bushes; both Jaken and Aito straighten their backs at this very interesting question. Both of them lean closer to get a better hearing.

The boy's heart starts pumping rapidly, his heart beat races and sweat is visible at the side of his face. The little kappa is no less, he is completely stunned and frozen, to think that Aito is the demon lord's son is something that will really annoy him. He couldn't have imagined what kind of life lies ahead for him if this boy is his young master. The green toad rolls his eyes at the boy's side and notices that he too is eager to know the answer. Given the kid's scent which is not matching his lord's, Jaken shakes his head and discards his earlier thought.

A short silence falls; everyone is awaiting on the girl to confess it. Tension slices through the air and she feels so uncomfortable.

"Yes, Aito is the son of the great dog demon Sesshoumaru." Everyone's eyes shoot wide open in extreme shock.

A startled Ryuuki takes in the revelation quite well, he nods a couple of times as if he is forcing himself to swallow the truth. On the other side behind the bushes, Aito falls on his back and sits on the grass, he can't concentrate on his surroundings now, and he thinks he has lost all his senses.

On the other hand, the imp's eyes are wide open in extreme shock. It looks like he has just seen a ghost. To think that the boy who has been bullying him for the past one month is the heir to the western land, is really a nightmare for the green toad. _I will be forever haunted by the dogs._ He gulps down in horror.

Ryuuki pats gently on Rin's shoulders for comfort. The girl smiles weakly indicating that she is fine with the revelation. Slowly, the leopard demon's hands slide down at the side of the girl's shoulders and pulling her to his chest.

Rin is flabbergasted; she immediately raises her hands over Ryuuki's chest and attempts on push him away but the leopard's hands wrap tightly around her back. Sensing the girl's struggles to break the embrace, the cat demon whispers into one of the girl's ears.

"Please, don't fight it Rin, please." He pleads softly. Rin stops struggling but not completely surrendering to the embrace. Ryuuki's chin rests on top of the girl's head and closes his eyes to enjoy this very last moment of them being together. He has never hugged the girl before; she never gave the chance as well.

A short minute's time passes, with the leopard making no attempt to release the girl. Rin doesn't feel comfortable as she forcefully breaks the embrace and releases herself. She stands few inches away from the cat demon and both exchange smiles.

"Rin, if you happen to find yourself in the same situation where you need a place to hide away from the dog, come to me. I will ensure your safety and promise that I will not force you to marry me." He smirks at his last statement, the girl chuckles and nods in acceptance.

"I will." Ryuuki sighs with relief at least the girl didn't reject his offer.

"Farewell _my lovely angel._" With that the leopard demon disappears into the forest. Rin smiles all the way until her savior's shadow fades then she turns and leaves.

As the girl walks past a few bushes, her eyes accidentally spots Jaken behind one of the bushes nearby. She is shocked and walks nearer to the green toad.

"Master Jaken! What are you doing here? Don't tell me that you have just been eavesdropping on my conversation with master Ryuuki. How can you do that?" Rin yells annoyingly and causes the little kappa to fall on his back and roll on the grass. He regains his balance and tries to explain.

"Hey this was not my idea girl, it was your son who wanted to do it, and I merely just followed because he dragged me along." The imp protests but his comments have staggered the girl.

"What? This was Aito's idea? But he is not even here now Master Jaken. Don't bluff!" The girl questions nervously, she is hoping her son wasn't here all this time.

"He is," When Jaken turns to his side, Aito is not there. His eyes widens in fury and cusses at the boy for leaving without alerting him.

"Damn you kid! He has escaped that's for sure, because he was here with me all the time listening to all your boring lovey dovey conversation until you talked about his father." The green toad stops abruptly. _Crap! _Jaken cusses, he has literally let his guard down and now the boy is missing!

Rin's jaw drops; she covers her open mouth with her hand and shakes her head in disbelief.

"Oh no, Aito ... He has heard about Lord Sesshoumaru, his father." She runs to the river and checks the surroundings. No sign of the kid nearby. The girl then quickly returns to the hut in the hopes of seeing her son there but when she reaches there with the imp, the hut is empty and Aito is no where to be found.

Rin knows that she can't afford to sit here and wait for Sesshoumaru's return. She has to do something before something bad might happen to her son.

"Master Jaken, I will have to search for Aito, can you stay behind and when Lord Sesshoumaru returns, tell him about Aito's disappearance? and I know he will be able to find us easily." The green toad is certainly not in favor with the girl's idea, there is no way he is going to let her wander outside of this area.

"No you silly girl, what if something happens to you while you search for the boy? Lord Sesshoumaru would kill me. You have to stay until my lord returns." Yells Jaken but Rin has had enough, her son's safety is the priority now and he is the only reason she lives, if something happens to her son she will never ever forgive herself. She turns to the little kappa and glares irately at the toad.

"I will not repeat myself again, you are to stay here and wait for Lord Sesshoumaru. Do you understand?" Rin instructs firmly as she sees the green toad fall on his knees with his head dropping to the ground.

"Yes my lady I will do as you wish." With that Rin smiles and nods to the imp before she turns and runs as fast as she can further down the village. She doesn't want to gamble on searching over at the kitchen or Tsuyu's house, her instincts tell her that the boy will not be there, he will have a hard time to accept the news and probably wishes to be alone.

_My dear Aito, where have you gone? Please do not harm yourself, forgive me son. _

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**Chapter end notes:**

Another 2 weeks for an update, sorry for the wait and don't worry we are closing to the end. (^_^)

I dedicate this chapter to all Ryuuki's fans. Thank you for your understanding and accepted his acts as part of love. My very first OC and am glad everyone love him.

Specially thanks Divine Rose, Sfdmoment and elusivequeenbee. Without 3 of you, I wouldn't be able to complete this chapter and probably would have leave this story long back. I love you all. (^_^)

**Next Chapter 19**: My Guardian Angel, My father

**Chapter 20**: Forgiven and Reunion

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**Anonymous reviews reply:**

**Jolie:** Hey dear Jolie, how are you doing? Thank you for liking the last scene. I was worried about Sesshoumaru in tears moment. I didn't want him to look weak ya know, he will never become weak just that to learn everything about the girl is something he can never bear to learn. Glad that you like it. Well there will be a little bit more dramas (rated sweet and fun drama) before the story end. Yes is about time for Aito to know about his father. Enjoy this chapter. (^_^)

**Naala:** Hey Naala, how are you doing? Glad to hear from you again. Thank you so much once again for your details review. You are absolutely a good reader. I am really proud of you and your observation throughout my story.

lol you're right about the scene in the anime. My Rin in my imagination is always a brave character, she fears nothing and even if she has to sacrifice her life she would want to do it for her loves one and that none other than her lord and her son. I am so glad that you're able to see Rin character in my story, I can only picture her cries in Sesshoumaru's arms, only him. :-) This is a great achievement and thanks for letting me know I did it. :-)

Rin is lovable and everyone sure loves the girl, I can never imagine anyone would hate the sweet girl except for something human can not accept. Such as, pregnancy without a husband and carrying a demon child. Just like what happened to Izayoi and Inuyasha. I bet though by now Sesshoumaru would understand about Inuyasha's feeling especially when he was a kid.

We will get to know about how Sesshouamru think about Ryuuki soon :-) I promise you that. Glad that you love the last dialogue, it is hard to write but am happy with the outcome. I will try to update as soon as I can and end this story :-)

I am gad that you're happy to read my chapters but rest assures that I am even happier to read your superb review. It just feels like you are really reading my mind and how I develop my character, awesome dear! Yes, coming up it is all about Aito! Stay tune and enjoy this chapter. Cheers!

**Caraline fisher:** Hey dear, thank you for yur review. How's life? Yes dear, Rin is always a type of sacrifice person right? I am glad you love the Rin in my story. (^_^) Hope you like this chapter. Cheers!


	19. My Guardian Angel, My Father

**Chapter notes:**

"W_hen a man loves, he seeks no power, and therefore he has power.""_

**This chapter dedicated to : ** **Divine Rose, sfdmoment and elusivequeenbee **

**For you guys always been there for me (^_^) Love you all! **

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The Lily of the Valley signifies **"****_The Return of Happiness" _**

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**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi. **_

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**Chapter 19 – My Guardian Angel, My Father**

Aito runs as far as his short legs can take him and as fast as his stamina lasts. He needs to get away from the hut, to get away from Jaken, his mother and Ryuuki.

He knows the little imp will have now started to compare him to Sesshoumaru. About him being the Taiyoukai's weak son who neither has the strength of the demon lord nor the appearance like that of the western lord's.

Aito doesn't need all those insulting comparisons. He admires Sesshoumaru with all his heart and all the time just wishes to grow up to become as strong as him. But who would have guessed that this very important and respectable lord is his father.

_Why?_ The boy bites his inner lips hard enough to realize that he is indeed facing reality. He is hoping dearly that what he had heard earlier was just a dream. It is not that he doesn't like Sesshoumaru as his father but the boy is having a hard time to sort all the puzzles clouding over his small weak head.

_Why mother never told me about Lord Sesshoumaru? _He whispers painfully. All the time when he had barely reached 2 years of age, when he needed his father's support, Rin never revealed any information about Sesshoumaru.

The boy would constantly inquire about his father but most of the times his mother would only advice him to not grow up hating his father and would only imply that he is a strong man, never explaining about his features or how he looked like.

Aito feels tired, but he won't stop if the thoughts are still alive in his head. He wishes to keep running and let the winds blow away the annoying doubts and riddles.

_Why Lord Sesshoumaru wants to hide my identity? What have I done to shame him that he wouldn't even want me? Why did he just keep quiet in the village when the village boys bad mouthed me about not having a father? WHY? What have I done to make my own father hate me that much?_

The boy shuts off his sunset eyes tightly and shakes his head heavily to get rid of every single word that was heard behind the bushes.

_Is Sesshoumaru, Aito's father?_

His small hands clench into tight fists as his legs continue pacing.

_Yes Aito is the son of the great dog demon Sesshoumaru._

The boy increases his speed shaking his head violently to discard the voices in his head of his mother.

_Yes Aito is the son of the great dog demon Sesshoumaru._

As Rin's voices become stronger and clearer with each of her words getting absorbed through his head, flowing into all the veins in his body, Aito pauses abruptly. With both of his hands pressing firmly at the sides of his ears, the boy shouts at the top of his lungs.

"WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?"

The boy drops to his knees and breaks down. It is strange that at this moment he could hear his own voice echoing into his ears. His wet sunset eyes lifts up to scan the surroundings and notices he is surround by thick trees.

Finally, all voices seem to vanish. He is no longer hearing the leopard demon's question or his mother's answer anymore. All he can hear now is the foliage swaying in the wind and the music of the trees dancing along with the wind.

The boy sniffs heavily and desperately wipes away the tears from his eyes with his hands. He lowers his gaze onto his lap and remains in this position for some time.

Outside of the thick forest, an apprehensive mother is searching desperately for her beloved lost son. Knowing that she has stepped quite far off from the hut, braking her promise to the demon lord, Rin is ready to face whatever harm that may come her way for her son's sake.

The girl curses herself for not revealing the truth earlier to her son. If only she had chosen to tell the boy about Sesshoumaru, this mishap would not have happened. She swears she will end her life immediately if something happens to the boy. There is no way she is going to forgive herself anymore after what she has done.

Firstly, she has avoided her son's queries to know about his father's identity. Secondly, she has separated the boy from his father since birth. Last but not the least, she has let the bond between the father and son grow too deep without revealing the truth.

Rin stops in her tracks and tries to catch her breath. Her heart is beyond anxiety and she thinks she will go crazy any moment. Her mind wanders back to the day which took place 5 years ago.

"If only I had a little courage to speak to Lord Sesshoumaru after the incident, perhaps today's disaster would not happen." Her hands clench into tight fists and she shakes her head vigorously.

"No, this is not the right time to talk about what had happened, I need to walk faster and find Aito." with one of her hands pressing firmly onto her chest to check on her heart beat. She inhales deeply and exhales out to regain more stamina before continuing on to run deeper into the thick forests with hopes of her lord returning earlier than he had promised.

Back in the centre of the thick forest, Aito shifts his gaze from his laps and docks his head high up to the blue skies. He sniffs the air around to take in the scent from the surroundings and realizes the humidity has changed and the temperature has slightly dropped.

Guilt rushes in as the boy realizes he has been away from his mother for quite a long while. Although there are still many unanswered questions, he never wishes to make his mother worry about his safety, never intends or plans to hurt his poor mother in any way. Besides, he had promised the demon lord to stay within the hut areas.

He is determined to start moving back towards his house and hopes to reach before the sun sets, it is at this moment that the boy's sensitive ears pick up movements in the nearby trees.

Aito rolls his eyes to the left and gets ready to avoid whatever attack that might be coming his way. Carefully, by drawing on all the senses that the Taiyoukai has taught him to use, he feels the presence of a few demons in vicinity. Sniffing the scents of the demons, his lack of experience prevents him from recognizing the type of demons that are now approaching him.

The boy turns abruptly to his left, slowly a demon walks out from the trees.

"Oh my, oh my, look what we have here brother. A human kid that doesn't look like an ordinary human at all." Aito sends a deadly glare to the demon who is now visible in front of him. The boy scans the features on the demon's face and realizes it resembles a tiger. Soon after another demons walk out from behind the tiger demon. This one appears to be a hyena demon.

"So boy were you the one who was shouting out loud in the middle of this forest? I am surprised though that such a tiny being like you would have such a strong voice."

The tiger moves closer to the side of Aito and kneels down to observe him intensely. The boy shows no sign of fear and doesn't even step back as the tiger inches his face close to him.

"Such a brave little kid, do you not fear I will devour you little one?" He smirks but Aito pays no heed to whatever the tiger is murmuring. The boy then turns to take his leave but stops short as he hears hissing coming from his back.

"How dare you not pay attention to me kid! What a useless human being!" The tiger raises his right hand with his sharp claws ready to pierce the kid but a voice interrupts him from behind.

"Hold on buddy, this boy may turn out to be more interesting than you would have thought." The hyena steps in and firmly places his hand on the tiger's shoulder.

"I fail to see anything interesting about this boy except for his manners, it is getting on my nerves." The tiger narrows his eyes and replies furiously.

"Clam down my friend, look at his appearance. An ordinary human does not have white hair even though his sense may betray his appearance, I strongly suspect the kid is a half demon." The hyena states in amusement while the tiger taps his finger on his chin in a thinking position.

"Who are you kid? How dare you make noise and disturb us while we rest" Another voice comes from the back of the demon duo and it sounds even more enraged than these two. The tiger and hyena demons split into two to make way for the lion.

"I didn't know you were all sleeping. Besides this forest belongs to no one person, I have the right to do what I want here. But since I have disturbed your rest then I apologize, sorry." Aito turns once again and walks away from the trio. Deep inside his heart, he knows he has caused trouble and needs to get away from this forest as fast as he can. But before the boy starts to runs, the lion demon leaps into the air and flies past the boy to lands in front of him blocking his way.

"You are not going anywhere boy. If your useless mother didn't teach you some manners then I shall do that on your father's behalf." The lion smirks malevolently at his own statements but Aito is not happy to hear it.

"Do not insult my mother! You have no right to teach me anything!" The boy yells and he earns more disdainful smirks from the trio.

"Ah, I see that you need a little smack on your butt kid. Don't worry I won't use much force. You will feel less pain." With that warning escaping from the lion's mouth, he leaps high up into the air and prepares to charge down at the boy with a loud roar that awakes every single living thing in the forest. Aito bares his teeth in fury ready to face his strong opponent.

The ear piercing roar sends chills all over Rin's body. She stops in her tracks with her heart pounding fast out of worry.

_What was that sound? Could it be Aito?_

The girl covers her parted mouth at the thought of her son being in danger. Quickly she runs as fast as her legs can take her in the direction of the roar.

_Oh god, please don't harm my poor son. I pray for my son's safety with all my heart. _

Back to the hut,

A concerned green toad is wandering in front of the hut hoping Rin would come back with Aito in time before the demon lord returns. His mind can't rest peacefully because he alone has to take the responsibility for not watching over the kid properly and letting the boy to sneak away so easily. Of course he isn't entirely blaming himself but knowing his lord's protective acts over the kid, Jaken knows well he will be punished before he is even allowed to explain.

"Arghhh! Lord Sesshaoumaru is going to kill me!" The green kappa shouts out loud without noticing the demon lord who is now standing right behind him.

"Jaken!" The green toad gasps as he turns slowly to see the taiyoukai right behind him. He instantly falls on his knees feeling it is better to reveal everything before the demon lord asks for it.

"My lord, Aito has run away from the hut and now Rin has gone to search for him. They have been away for quite long and Rin wanted me to inform you that she wants my lord to search for her as soon as you returned." The green toad's head falling on the ground while explaining the situation.

"Why did Aito suddenly run away?" Sesshoumaru asks curiously.

"Because that Ryuuki showed up and talked something about my lord being the father of the boy. Aito and I were hiding behind the bushes when the conversation between the leopard and Rin took place." A small bead of sweat is visible on the side of the imp's face.

"Why did you not stop him?" Sesshouamru growls in anger.

'My lord I didn't realize that the boy sneaked away until Rin found me out. I am sorry my lord, rest assured that I will help to find them safely even if I have to lose my life." The little kappa buries his head into the ground asking for forgiveness as he notices that the Taiyoukai has walked away.

"If something happens to them I will kill you." With that the demon lord turns into a golden orb and disappears into thin air.

Jaken dumbfounded by the Taiyoukai's statement, he gulps in fear praying that Rin and Aito will return safely.

Back into the forest

As Rin approaches almost the centre of the thick forest, she can hear the evil giggling of men and some strange words like _there you go boy_ and _that's the way boy_. Her large hazelnut eyes widens in dread knowing it has to be her son. As she crosses the last group of large trees which reveals the centre of the forest, the first scene she witnesses is that of Aito's body being flung at the nearby tree with full force.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO." Rin screams at the top of her lungs causing all three demons to turn their attention onto her.

The girl then speeds to her son's side and helps the boy to sit up. Her heart is petrified as she spots a small blood drop on the side of the kid's mouth. She wraps her hands around the boy's body while sending a deadly glare to the demons.

"How dare you hurt my son?" She yells with her loath filled gaze fixed on each demon's face. The hyena just merely chuckles in joy, the tiger watching the girl in awe while the lion scans the girl intensely full of interest.

"Ah here's the mother of the boy. Oh my look how pretty she is." The tiger voices out with the hyena nodding in agreement. The lion demon takes the initiative to move closer to the girl's side.

"My lady, this is some misunderstanding. We are not hurting your son. It was him who disturbed us at first and when we slightly warned him, he paid no heed. This is merely a lesson for the boy." The lion demon explains in a very put-on gentlemanly manner trying to calm the girl down with an agenda. The hyena and the tiger chuckle at their buddy's intentions.

"He is only a kid! You don't have to use such strength." Rin bawls as she cradles her son closer to her chest. "I should be the one to teach him not any low life strangers like you." Rin states firmly while she watches Aito regain his strength and slightly pull away from his mother.

"Is that what you call power, lion? That hardly scratches my skin. My father is way supreme than you!" Aito shoots a humiliating glare with a petulant chuckle. Rin's eyes widen in astonishment while the lion's blood boils in his vein. His face trembles in seething rage while his hands now clench into extremely tight fists.

"Why you damn kid! Who's your father? Summon him out for a challenge and let's prove who the almighty demon is!" The incensed lion growls causing the girl to pull her son closer.

"Aito, don't mess with them we have to go now. Please my dear son." The boy doesn't pay attention to his mother at all. Instead he rises on his feet and laughs out loud; Rin follows her son and stands up with one of her hands supporting the back of her son.

"Listen lion, my father is the great dog demon of the west. Lord Sesshoumaru!" He proudly declares it with his chest puffed out with pride. His mother smiles sheepishly at her son's statement. _He's accepting Lord Sesshoumaru_

The hyena and tiger demon's jaws drop immediately. Of course the kid may be lying but as they both compare this tiny boy to the Taiyoukai, they find some similarities between them. Both demons step backwards slightly with their mouths now trembling in fear.

Upon noticing his buddies retreating a little bit, the lion turns furiously to face the two.

"Cowards! How can you believe this boy's statement? Do you think Sesshoumaru would have gone this low to take a human as his mate? Just look at your surroundings, the demon lord is nowhere to be seen." He turns away from his buddies and walks closer to the mother and son.

"I suspect that he was just having fun bedding with this wench and then later abandoned this useless half breed." The lion laughs out whole heartedly with those insulting allusions. Aito is now foaming furious. He doesn't know why the demon lord left him but he detests the way the lion is making fun of the Taiyoukai and his mother.

Rin reaches out with her right hand and slaps hard on the lion's face. The hyena and tiger are taken aback by the girl's bravery

"Lord Sesshoumaru will never leave us behind!" She rebuts vehemently.

That is it, the lion has run out of patience. The fact that he has just been slapped by a human girl is really humiliating for his pride. He grabs the girl's neck and slaps each side of her face before throwing her on the forest floor right in front of the hyena and the tiger.

Aito's eyes pop wide open appalled and enraged. He dashes towards the lion and wraps his arms around the lion's legs and sinks his teeth on the demon's skin.

The lion demon swings his legs forcefully. The boy is flung towards yet another tree with his back hitting hard on the tree and drops onto the grass.

"NO!" Rin wails out loud, her heart is crushed at the sight of her son being hurt again and again.

"You two stop the girl from interrupting me. I shall kill the boy before we have our way with the wench. Who knows Sesshoumaru might even be pleased with what we have done, to wipe out the half breed and the human girl." With that instruction, the hyena and tiger demons hold on to Rin's arms to forbid her from running to her son's side.

As the lion demon steps closer to where Aito lays, the boy sits up with his head lowered to face the ground. The lion smirks but pauses his steps as he spots the boy's body pulsating. He is puzzled and hesitates for a moment before he attempting another step forward, again the kid's body keeps pulsating.

Slowly, Aito cocks his head up and faces the lion with totally different features on his face. His sunset eyes have now turned red, his bare teeth are now turned into sharp fangs. His human ears changes into pointed ears with each pulsation rippling through his body. Finally 2 magenta strips stand out proudly on both sides of his face as he is now fully resembling the great dog demon Sesshoumaru with his demon scent overtaking his human scent.

Rin watches her son changing in amazement. She has never seen her son transform before. Although she is well aware that Aito is half demon, he would only bare his sharp teeth whenever he's angry. He would never change his appearance in such a way even though he was out of control when the village boys insulted him.

Both the tiger and hyena's grips loosen around Rin's arms. They are blown away with what they have just witnessed.

"The boy is indeed the son of the Taiyoukai, Sesshoumaru!" Both declare in unison. The lion snarls irately at the duo and steps forward closer to the newly transform kid.

"Ah, a little pup huh? But you know what?" Instantly the lion transforms into his true form and now stands in front of the displeased boy.

"I can devour you just easily with my current form." With that the lion charges at Aito with his large paw smashing at the place where the boy stands. Rin has to look away as it is too awful to watch.

To the lion demon's surprise, he misses the catch and as he lifts his paw up the boy is not there. He roars fervently and turns to his back to find the boy is now charging from the behind. Instantaneously, the lion raises one of his paws to smack Aito's small body and sends him crashing into the ground hard enough to cause the kid to cough some blood out immediately.

The tiger and hyena demon's knees weaken, watching their buddy almost kill the son of the western lord. Both have taken a step back slowly, soon they sneak out from the scene as the lion doesn't pay attention to them. Both hide as fast as they can in the nearby bushes to save their lives by having no part in what is about to happen.

Rin runs to Aito's side as the demons sneak away. She helps her son to sit up and checks on Aito's body vigorously. The boy's eyes stay red and he lets out a furious growl in dissatisfaction

"Aito, please listen to me, you have to run now don't bother to come back here. You have to go now before the lion devours you. I can not afford to lose you. Please my son! I beg you." Rin pleads to her son but unfortunately the boy hears nothing from his mother. His demon blood has overtaken him completely and all he wants now is to defeat the lion.

Before Rin continues on with another request, Aito stretches out his left hand and pushes the girl hard enough to send her sliding a few meters away. Rin gasps at her son's behaviors, she has no clue about what happened to her son just now.

"Aito, why are you not able to listen me? What had happened to you my son?" The girl whispers hopelessly as tears rolls down and wet her cheeks in agony.

The lion watches on bewildered at how the boy pushed his own mother away. _Is he loosing his self control? But why?_ Discarding the silly question away, the demon is now positioning himself and ready to charge again on the kid. This time he plans to double the strength by aiming to pin the boy down and rips off his head. He wants to kill the kid fast and clean.

Aito is now on his feet again, the lion demon leaps high up into the air and growls precariously at the boy beneath him. The boy returns the same growl but with lesser intensity.

Rin knows what is going to happen next, she can't afford to hesitate anymore. If her son is going to die, she will gladly join him. She instantly gets on her feet and runs to her son's side. She embraces the boy firmly and shut her eyes tightly to accept whatever fate had in store for them.

The lion spots the girl and instantly diverts his attack to land a few meters away from the girl and her son."You spineless cowards, get back here and hold this wench or I will kill you both myself!"

The two cowardly demons emerge from behind the bushes and retake their hold of Rin's arms while she wiggles to get free.

"It is too early to do away with her just yet" vilely smirks the lion. "Now to get back to what I was about to do, Ah yes..."

The lion summons his focus and strength to leap into the air and launches a downward aerial attack on Aito. He almost reaches onto the ground for his prey but in one swift moment the lion is flying hard in the opposition direction. Time appears to slow down as the time lapse facial expressions of the Lion reveals his face grimacing from some sort of deep pain. Next thing the lion experiences is of crashing hard into a rock wall.

The hyena and tiger demons are clueless as to what just happened. They look on with blinking eyes in complete confusion.

The hyena is launched high up in the air with his facial expressions suggesting a blow right in the rear, The hyena is left hanging lifeless high up in the trees.

The tiger demon struggles to make sense of what just happened in the last 1 split moment. Before he can make sense of it all the tiger demon whirls away straight into a tree, hard enough for the tree trunk to crack. The tiger demon tries to clear its blurry vision by shaking his head a couple of times.

The cracking tree truck falls right on top of the tiger's already thrashed head.

A flash of whooshing light rushes by. Rin and Aito are nowhere to be seen.

_Damn you! Not again! They escaped again!_ The lion curses without knowing his life is the main issue at this moment.

Sesshoumaru's sensitive nose has picked up his son's demon scent. He knows he has to be quick. If Aito is releasing his demon scent then he is definitely in grave danger. And on top of that, he can sense a great sense of fear and despair from Rin.

As the demon lord arrives at the centre of the forest, his jaw drops as he sees Rin is being held by two demons while Aito is facing his imminent death at the hands of the evil lion demon charging at him from the air. He speeds up to lightening proportions hurling the lion away from Aito and then disposing Rin's captors. He then grabs Aito and the girl and whisks the duo away.

All this happens in mere split moments.

Rin feels strong arms wrapping around her body and feels like being lifted high up into the air. The girl shoots her eyes wide open and finds out she is in the arms of the Taiyoukai. Relief fills her heart and she instantly leans her exhausted body close to the demon lord's chest with her head resting on his right shoulder.

Sesshoumaru reaches another side of the ground leaving the foolish lion demon in a conundrum searching for his prey's whereabouts. He then places the girl and the boy on the grass and observes them intensely. _Damn it! They are hurting so badly._ The Taiyoukai is fisting the forest floor hard enough to leave a mark.

"Rin, are you alright? Talk to me!" Sesshouamru asks anxiously as he shakes the girl's shoulders gently. Rin pulls away a bit to look at her lord's face. She manages a weak smile before biting her bottom lip struggling to hold her tears.

"It is alright Rin, everything is fine now." He strokes her back tenderly to calm the girl down.

"My lord, I don't know what is happening to Aito, he doesn't seem to be listening to me. And, he is transforming! I don't know what to do as when I try to get close to him, he pushes me away. I feel like he is not recognizing me. Please help Aito my lord." The girl explains agitatedly as she loosens her hold around the boy to let the demon lord check on her son.

Sesshoumaru isn't surprised to see his son in this form; in fact he has witnessed the same transformation a month ago. But what worries him now is, he could sense a strong hatred radiating from the boy. The sight the he wished not to see is finally happening. What is happening to the Taiyoukai's son now is exactly what happened to Inuyasha back in those days. His full fledge demon blood has overtaken him and he recognizes no one.

"Aito, look at me!" Sesshoumaru growls with both of his hands placed on the boy's shoulders as he stirs the kid gently.

"Are you listening to me son? Tilt your head up and look at me!" The Taiyoukai increases his voice as he snarls at the boy. Rin gasps at her lord, she has never seen Sesshouamru speak with such a high voice before but she couldn't care less at this moment, she just wants her son back.

Aito relaxes his tense mouth, he can hear a heartwarming voice calling out for him. The voice owned by this person who is so dear to him. As he tries hard to regain control over his body, he shakes his head aggressively and looks up to see his beloved Lord Sesshoumaru eyeing him with great concern.

_Father._ His inner soul cries out loud.

Sesshoumaru is relieved to see his son's eyes return to their usual sunset color. He sighs, although the features are still visible on his face, he knows the boy has returned to his own self now. He turns to face the girl and ensures her that her son is fine. It is at this moment, as he looks straight at the girl's face, his heart shatters into a million pieces.

"Rin! What happened to your cheeks?" Sesshoumaru gently brushes each side of the girl's face. Rin remains silent; she's just feels too tired to even mention what happened earlier.

"Did that lion slap you?" He asks infuriated. Rin only nods slowly with her gaze falling on her son. Sesshoumaru's hands clench into tight fists. There is no way this lion is going to get away after what he has done to his Rin and son. He pulls the girl, who is holding onto her son, close to his chest for a comforting hug and kisses the girl's temple before releasing the duo.

"Stand back Rin." He warns gently and walks away from the duo. Rin watches on carefully with her son still under her embrace.

The confused and clueless Lion is still at it, searching for the boy or any traces of the girl. The Taiyoukai emerges into a shade. His presence is immediate picked up by the Lion demon. The lion is tensed and irate at the same, unable to make out who the owner is of that silhouette.

"So it was you who stuck the first blow, Come out and face me in the light, or would you like to stay in the shadows like a coward?" the Lion tests the waters by provoking the silhouetted stranger.

Sesshoumaru with his emotionless expression steps out from the shade to reveal himself. The Lion demons instantly transforms.

The Taiyoukai is now facing the lion's true form. He dares to even laugh out whole heartedly hurling insults at the demon lord.

"Ah, Sesshoumaru it is my pleasure to see you here. So the only heir of the great dog demon Lord Inu no Taisho has successfully followed his path by falling for a human? Pity you dog. Both father and son will be meeting their tragic ends. I could have treated your girl a bit gentler if only she was obeying me but it looks like she chose the harsh way."

Enough with the repulsive words, Sesshouamru immediately transforms into his true form and is now in the same size as that of the lion. He roars menacingly as in threatening the lion.

Aito's weak eyes watch on as his most respectable Lord transforms into a giant white dog with his fluffy fur that look as smooth as the flowing water. He blinks his sore eyes a couple of times until a few tiny beads of tears stream down his cheeks.

"M-my guardian angel is-is m-my father." The boy whispers softly as its almost unheard. Rin hears every single word clearly as she tightens her hold around her poor son. Her chin is now resting on top of the boy's head with her eyes now gazing at her lord.

"You will pay the price for wounding this Sesshoumaru's mate and his heir." Are the last words to escape the Taiyoukai's mouth and he leaps into the clear blue skies. The lion demon follows suit leaping high into the air.

The Lion goes in first with a strong paw attack aimed at Sesshoumau's face. The Taiyoukai effortlessly blocks the paw with the edge of his paw and then instantly returns a full-on paw strike to the Lion's nostrils with his other paw, sending the lion crashing down to the forest floor.

First blood is drawn by Sesshoumaru, giving the lion a bloody nose.

The Lion roars ferociously unable to bear the humiliation of this blow to his nose. He charges forward at the stationary dog demon. Sesshoumaru waits for the pounce from the lion and slides right underneath the airborne lion, scratching the under belly of the lion using his poison claws.

The Lion howls in agony. But unwillingly to give up the loosing fight, the lion lunges for the Dog's jugular in a last gasp attempt. Sesshoumaru Leaps into the air and rams his head into the face of the Lion demon as they crash onto the forest floor.

The lion demon tries to reposition himself but Sesshouamru is fast enough to pin the lion down and immobilize him. The great dog demon of the west smirks in his true form at the sight of the fearful lion who has obviously started to smell the end of his life. Without further wait, Sesshoumaru sinks his fangs at the side of the lion's neck, sending him back to his human form. Blood is pooling on the forest floor as the lion struggles to stand up.

As Sesshouamru returns to his human form, he draws out the Bakusaiga and swings with full force in the direction of where the lion lays. Rin covers her son eyes, for what he's about to witness is truly gruesome. Rin is not expecting this but Aito does something which is more gruesome than the imminent scene. The boy reaches out his small hand to push his mother hands away. The girl gasps but chooses not to impede her son's wish.

With one blow from the Bakusaiga, the lion is shattered into a million pieces as it disappears into the thin air like the dust being carried away by the warm breeze.

The Taiyoukai acrobatically rotates the sword in this his wrist 3 times and sheaths his Bakusaiga resulting in a metal on metal slicing sound. He then smirks victoriously at himself. He then turns and walks back to his precious family. Kneeling down in front of his tired son, Sesshoumaru glares seriously at the boy.

"Just what do you think you are doing? Do you know what kind of danger you were exposed to by running away this far off? You're not only risking your own life but your mother's too." It pains the Taiyoukai's heart to bash his son with such a raised voice, its harsh but he can't control himself.

If he reached here a minute late, he would have probably lost both of them forever. The tenseiga is unable to revive the girl for the second time.

Aito remains silent; he only stares at the demon with his poor puppy eyes seeking comfort. He soon sniffs heavily. With his lower lip poking out, the boy cries silently with tears uncontrollably streaming down like a ravine.

Rin presses her right hand on Sesshoumaru's hands, he looks up at his precious ward and sees her shaking her head weakly indicating him to stop scolding her poor pup. The demon lord nods and returns his gaze onto his son.

The Taiyoukai lowers his head close to his son and presses his lips on the boy's forehead. _My poor son._ As Sesshouamru is about to pull away from the boy's face, a pair of short arms instantly wraps around the demon lord's neck stopping the western lord from moving away. The taiyoukai smiles at the boy with his claw finger brushing off the tears away from his small face.

Sunset eyes cross with golden orbs, as the kid continues sniffing. A short silence falls with the boy's hands still tightly wrapped around the demon lord's neck.

"Let's go home now; I need to check on your injuries." Sesshouamru tries to pull his son's arms away but the boy protests, refusing to loosen the grip. The taiyoukai stares confusedly at his son's behavior. Before he attempts to speak the boy surprises both his father and mother with a single word escaping from his mouth.

"Father." Sesshouamaru golden orbs widen with his mouth parting slightly. Rin's hazelnut eyes glasses over with unshed tears with such a sweet word escaping from her son's mouth. She has gone through much of hell and pain for this long just to wait for this beautiful reunion.

"Father." Aito's weak voice is calling the demon lord again. Sesshoumaru remains silent; he has been waiting long enough just to hear this precious word from his son. He sighs in relief as now he is able to proudly announce to the world that this Sesshoumaru of the west has a son.

"Are you really my father?" Aito's sudden question stabs both Sesshoumaru and Rin's hearts.

"Yes Aito, you're always my proud pup." The Taiyoukai whispers softly.

"Father, father! I really have a father and he is my guardian angel who watches over me in my dreams. He is now standing in front of me. Aito..." The boy's eye lids feel extremely heavy as they half cover his eyes.

"Aito finally meet father. Ai-Aito feels extremely _happy._" The final words fade away as the boy's arms loosens around Sesshoumaru's neck and falls onto his mother's chest.

"AITO!" Both Sesshouamru and Rin call out in unison as they watch their son faint.

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**Chapter end notes:**

Another 2 weeks for an update, sorry for the wait. Both Mr Beta and I took turn to get sick lol. I recover pretty fast but Mt Beta had high fever last night that why we were a bit delay. But don't worry we are closing to the end. (^_^)

My Beta asked me one very simple question. He asked: Do I hate Rin? I told him no, because she loves Sesshoumaru too much to even think about spoiling his future. Yes she makes mistake with Aito part but I can never blame this poor girl. Now you guys decide, do you hate Rin?

Next chapter : **Forgiven and Reunion**

**Chapter 21 :** Intimate

**Congratulation to ****Zuma12121** – You're the **200****th**** reviewer** of Lily of the Valley.

Thank you for your reviews and support (^_^)

Do you wish to take a break from hurt/comfort and read something relax and fills with romance and fluffy? Check out **Divine Rose's story – Moonlight Night **

Want to read some drama/romance story? Check out **Sfdmoment's story – Inseparable**

Or you wish to have something to laugh? Check out **elusivequeenbee's story - His Human Pursuit**

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**Anonymous reviews reply:**

**Jolie:** Hello Jolie, thank you so much for staying with me. Sorry for another long wait. LOL Poor Jaken huh? Everyone seems to predict he will be in trouble. haha Yes, the disappearance is more important than Ryuuki's scent. But I will include that in next chapter, not this one though, I don't know how to mix scene so I will do it one by one. Enjoy this chapter and thanks for being with me. (^_^)

**Naala:** Naala dear, lol am a big meanie eh? XD But if I continue writing it will probably reach 10k of words LOL

Actually about Sessh/Inu, I do plan to write a bit about them. Let's see how it flow, I am not sure I can squeeze in everything in 4/5 chapters since I target to end this in 25 episodes. Thank you so much for your support, it mean so much for me. For this support itself, I will try my best to end this Lily perfectly!

This chapter will have a bit of scene like in chapter 11. Take a look and tell me what you think. They will get to know more about Aito pretty soon. A trip needed (^_^) Awww Ryuuki is such a loveable character for everyone. Oh! I didn't think about the twist until you mention it! Oh yea, now I notice it lol Well I always see Rin as angel, so I make Ryuuki thinks the same (^_^) I hope you like this chapter. And we are almost there to the end. Couple of more things to reveal then we are done. Until then take care dear. Cheers!

**Phantom prince:** Muah hahahahahah your review was awesomely awesome! Thank you so much. I love you! *hugs*


	20. Forgiven and Reunion

**Chapter notes:**

"_If I Should stay I would only be in your way  
So I'll go. But I know  
I'll think of you every step of the way. _

_Because …_

_I will always Love you, "_

**This chapter dedicated to : ** **Divine Rose, sfdmoment and elusivequeenbee **

**After what happen in the last chapter, without you guys I won't be able to write this chapter.**

**(^_^) Love you all!**

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**p/s- There will be a lot of grammar mistakes and mix up tenses, please bear with me as my beta was away for 2 weeks business trip. I will sort this chapter with him as soon as he return. Thank you so much for stay with me (^_^)**

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The Lily of the Valley signifies **"****_The Return of Happiness" _**

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**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi. **_

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**Chapter 20 – Forgiven and Reunion  
**

The reunion for the family of the dog is rather short as exhaustion claims Aito and renders him unconscious.

Rin is almost losing her senses watching her son's body collapse onto her laps. She screams on the top of her lungs while holding her tightly in her arms. She doesn't know what to do, for in this moment the fear of losing her son rushes into her mind. She cries hopelessly, she is too weak to hold herself properly.

The girl starts to weaken as she is about to lose her composure, Sesshoumaru immediately moves to the back of the girl and encircles his arms around her body to prevent her from falling. The demon lord then lowers his head and whispers softly into one of his precious ward's ears.

"Rin, Aito is suffering from exhaustion, he will regain his consciousness after a decent amount of rest. Do not worry my love." Rin raises her head up to face her lord, she mouths no words. She sniffs heavily with her eyes almost half parted out of tiredness.

The Taiyoukai cradles the duo close to his arms and presses his lips on the girl's forehead. In response, Rin shuts her eyes with the contact as she lies her head on Sesshoumaru's right shoulder on top of the mokomoko. Her arms still embrace her beloved son firmly.

"Let's go home now; we need to tend Aito's wounds." Rin nods weakly and shuts her eyes off completely for a rest as the demon lord carries the duo and leaps up into the sky and flies back to the hut.

When the trio reaches the hut, Jaken welcomes them happily with tears streaming down and wetting his cheeks. He expresses his delight to see both Rin and Aito return alive. At this particular moment, strangely enough that the little kappa isn't sighing out of relief for his life is spared now. Truth be told, he is really relieved for the mother and son's return without any major injuries. It is a strange feeling but the green toad doesn't want to put too much of a thought over the growing reactions of concern.

As usual, the Taiyoukai ignores the green toad. He walks to the river and sets the girl on the grass. Rin's eyes part open to realize she is home. She looks over Sesshoumaru's broad shoulders and spots the anxious toad slowly joining behind his lord. She smiles mildly and turns to face her lord.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, it was not master Jaken's fault that caused Aito to run away. There was some misunderstanding earlier which I shall explain later." She states softly in the hopes that the demon lord will accept her plea and set the kappa free from punishment.

Sesshoumaru narrows his eyes unhappily at the girl, thinking why does she have to care to beg for the toad in this situation. Whether or not the green toad is at fault, the Taiyoukai never really bothers and he couldn't care less for his minion companion. As long as his wife and son are safe that's all that matters to him. _Why can't she just love herself even more? _He sighs at the thought and merely nods in acceptance. The girl then beams thankfully which makes her lord shake his head lightly, surrendering to her kindness.

Rin slightly pulls Aito away and observes her son intensely. The magenta stripes on his cheeks and the crescent moon at the centre of his temple have faded away. His human ear form has returned unlike the earlier pointed ears like that of his father's. Even with all the bruises on the boy's face he actually looks rather peaceful.

The mother slowly sets her son on the grass and gently takes off his haori to reveal the bruises all over his small body. Rin is taken aback, her large hazelnut eyes widen with one of her hands lifted to cover her parted mouth. Sesshoumaru wraps an arm around the girl's waist, slightly pulling her closer to his chest. She then turns to bury her face into the demon lord's shoulder.

"Those bruises have to be the contact with the trees. Aito was pushed with high force when he hit the trees." Sesshoumaru eyes his son's injured body. His free arm clenches into a tight fist and he curses the dead lion. _I should have revived that pathetic lion and killed him for the second time!_ Curses the dog demon but he remains calm, not wishing to worsen the current tensed atmosphere.

Rin scoops her son up and ready to move to the river but is stopped by the Taiyoukai.

"I will bathe Aito." Insists the demon lord.

"But I want ..." A hand raises up in front of the girl's face to cut off her sentence.

"No, your hands have not recovered yet. I will do it." Emphasizes the dog demon. Rin makes no objection; she moves aside a little to allow the Taiyoukai to take up her position.

The demon lord picks Aito up and walks to the river. He has instructed the little kappa to retrieve a new cloth and a clean towel for the kid before stepping into the river.

For the first time in Sesshoumaru's life he is holding his son in his arms and bathing him. Unfortunately this sweet moment is replaced with gloomy emotions.

With one hand supporting the back of the boy's head, the Taiyoukai uses another free hand to cup some water and pour it all over his son's hair, face and body. He gently traces the bruise marks with his heart burrowing in pain, cussing at himself silently for allowing his son to be wounded into such a state.

Rin watches her lord bathing Aito in utter anguish. Her hands press firmly on her chest, holding hard to not allow herself to break down. The boy needs her and if she allows herself to be broken under such a situation she probably will upset the kid again. Besides she can't afford to show anymore weaknesses in front of the Taiyoukai, he would probably get sick of her being the weak human that he despises the most. Really, when she thinks about it, ever since meeting the dog demon again a month ago, she has constantly found herself weeping in the demon lord's arms.

Following Jaken's return with a clean cloth and a dry towel, Rin holds the towel while Sesshoumaru puts Aito into the girl's hands. She immediately wraps the towel around the boy's body to prevent the child from catching a cold. After a few moments when the girl is able to feel the boy's body slightly warming up, she places her son on the grass and dries up his wet body and hair.

Sesshoumaru puts a clean cloth on his son and cradles the kid into his chest, he then heads back to the hut with Rin following closely at his side.

The little kappa collects the boy's dirty cloth and follows at the back of his lord.

Aito is placed on the bed with a blanket covering up to his shoulders. Sesshoumaru isn't happy with the material of the blanket. He is thinking how on earth will these 2 poor things be able to keep themselves warm up during winter with this thin piece of cloth that is not even qualified to be considered as a blanket?

The demon lord rises on his feet, allowing Rin to sit at the side of the bed. He then takes his leave to the nearby mountains to retrieve Ah-un. He wants to keep Ah-un to surprise the girl, since she has not seen the two headed dragon for quite a while.

Sesshoumaru guides Ah-un back to the hut and retrieves a blanket from the dragon's saddle bag before returning by his son's side.

Rin is astonished as the Taiyoukai walks into the hut with a rather thick blanket in his hands. The dog demon approaches his son and spreads the blanket wide to cover his son's body. With his hands caressing the top of the blanket, he smirks satisfactorily as now his son is able to stay warm under this thick and fluffy blanket.

"My lord, where did you get that blanket?" The girl inquires curiously. Taking a seat at the side of the bed right in front of the girl, Sesshoumaru stretches his hands out and takes Rin's hands onto his lap. Her hands are cold in fact he can feel that she is shivering.

"I retrieved it from a trusted friend." His simple answer doesn't pacify the girl's intense desire to know more about the item. She just stares questioningly at her lord.

Before the girl is able to put up another doubt, one of Sesshoumaru's hands caresses her cheek gently and lovingly. His golden gaze falls on the reddish spots on each side of her cheeks. _How could someone slap this sweet and innocent girl?_ The demon lord thinks painfully with his hands now resting on the girl's shoulders.

"Rin, you need to refresh yourself." He commands softly but the girl shakes her head faintly.

"I want to stay with Aito." The girl insists.

"He will not be awake until dawn and probably even after dawn. You need to clean yourself up and eat something. If you fall sick no one is going to take care of Aito. You understand?" The Taiyoukai states firmly with his hands squeezing the girl's shoulders.

Rin tilts her head up and faces Sesshoumaru before turning her gaze onto the side of her poor son. Her lord is right; she has to be strong, for the boy will need her assistance. _Does Aito still need my help?_ Only god knows the answer. She turns back to look at the demon lord and inclines her head in acceptance.

Sesshoumaru releases his hand from the girl's shoulder as she rises to her feet and takes her leave. The dog demon follows right away but stops short when his ward turns abruptly to face him.

"My lord you have to stay with Aito. What if he is haunted by a nightmare and no one is here for him? Please Lord Sesshoumaru, stay with Aito." Rin pleads desperately, she is so reluctant to leave her son alone and if the demon lord insists her to freshen herself up all she wishes is to at least have the Taiyoukai stay by the kid's side.

Sesshoumaru remains silent for a moment, sure the girl has a point but he doesn't want her to go alone. Looking into his ward determined gaze, he has no choice but to agree. He nods in agreement, the girl smiles in relief as she looks over her lord's broad shoulders and observes her son sound asleep. Reluctantly she steps out of the hut and heads to the river.

Sesshoumaru watches the girl's silhouette disappear. He observes the surroundings attentively to make sure the environment is safe enough for his precious ward. Once satisfied he turns to the little kappa who is standing loyally at his side, looking drained of energy.

"Jaken, did the lady send food this evening?" The green toad immediately straightens his back at the voice of his master.

"Yes milord, the food is placed safely on the table." He bows respectfully. Sesshoumaru doubts Rin will want to take her meal. She is too worried about the boy, but compared to letting her stay empty stomached he would rather the girl takes some light food.

"Jaken, collect some fruits nearby. Take Ah-un with you." The little kappa stares confusedly at his lord with his mouth agape without an answer. The Taiyoukai narrows his eyes and glares dangerously at the imp. The panicking servant instantly kneels down with his head on the grass and begs for forgiveness.

"Sorry milord I will go and get it right away." With that the green toad speeds as fast as he can to retrieve the 2 headed dragon and vanishes into the forest.

The demon lord returns by the side of his son and observes the boy cautiously, Aito is slumbering away peacefully. Relief fills the dog demon's heart as he sees no sign of discomfort worn on the kid's face.

Sesshoumaru reaches out with one of his hands and brushes the boy's temples, sorrow rushes in while recalling his own childhood life. At the same age like his son's, the Taiyoukai had never gone through such a hard fraught life like the boy is going through today.

_My poor son. _The demon lord whispers. "_All thanks to the culprit who drove Rin away from my side."_ The dog demon bares his teeth and hisses infuriately.

Sesshoumaru lower his abdomen and presses his lips on Aito's forehead.

_"No one is going to drive Rin and Aito away now or I will personally slaughter them into a million pieces with the Bakusaiga."_ The demon lord whispers firmly as he pulls back from his son and sits at the side of the bed with his back resting on the pillar. 

Twenty minutes pass at the river; Rin is tying a knot at her back with an indigo obi that matches her plain soft purple kimono. She bends down and picks up the dirty kimono but she is losing her balance trying to straighten up her back. The dirty kimono falls from her grip but she manages to avoid falling down with one of her hands clutching onto a tree.

Rin rests her back on the tree with her eyes shut tightly. She feels so dizzy and slowly her back slides along the tree until she sits on the grass under the tree. She tries to part her eyes open but the vision is hazy and unclear. She decides to close her eyes for a moment before returning to the hut.

The next thing she sees as she opens her eyes again, is an elegant woman standing before her. Rin's blurry vision impedes her from recognizing who the lady is as she questions, "Who are you?" The girl could swear she sees the woman smirk but no matter how many times she tries to blink or rub her eyes her vision isn't getting better in fact it is getting worse.

"You broke your promise little girl." Rin snaps her dizzy head up in shock at the familiar voice as she recognizes it instantly. She tries to walk closer to the woman but no matter how much farther she walks the woman is unreachable. The girl grows tired and all she can do now is apologize.

"I didn't break the promise please listen to me my lady ... please." The moment she starts apologizing the woman's figure vanishes. Rin stops in her tracks and searches everywhere. It is at this time another voice comes from a different angle.

"Mother!" A dejected voice calls out for the girl. Rin turns abruptly and sees a blurry image of her son standing not far from her.

"Aito? You're awake?" The girl is puzzled, if her son is awake then where is Sesshoumaru?

"Mother, why did you not tell me about Lord Sesshoumaru being my father? All the village boys laughed at me for I don't have a father." Tears streaming down like rain and wetting the boy's cheeks.

Rin's heart is crushed by her son's statement.

"My dear son, I-I am so sor-sorry. Please listen to my expla.." Her sentences are cut off by the boy's yelling sound.

"I hate you mother! I hate you!" Rin stands immobilized with her eyes shot wide open. The moment that she has wished would never happen is finally here now_._ Aito hates her and her only hope to live in this world has shattered! Before she is able to move and chase her son, the boy vanishes into the thin air. The girl falls on her knees and breaks down.

"What is happening? Am I dreaming? Why are they vanishing right in front of me? Where's Lord Sesshoumaru?" She asks curiously but just at this moment another voice is audible.

"Rin." That warm and calm voice of her lord is calling out her name. Rin snaps her head up and Sesshoumaru's blur image stands before her. So close yet so far to be reached by the girl.

"My lord! Aito has vanished! Please search for him, he hates me and ..." Before she can complete her sentence the demon lord interrupts.

"Rin, I am very disappointed in you." Rin's hazelnut eyes widen with the utmost shock. Her mouth wide agape but no voice is forming in her throat. At this moment she feels someone tugging at her kimono sleeve, she turns and realizes it is her son.

"Aito, I-.." The boy pushes the girl with full force sending her sliding all the way into the river. Rin is drowning but she makes no attempt to even swim up to the surface. She lets herself fall by watching the moonlight shining on the surface of the river. _If Aito and Lord Sesshoumaru hate _me so much, why would I need to stay alive?She closes her eyes, feeling her body shiver from the cold and keep falling.

_It is alright, I will be gone forever. Aito will never live to face this shameful mother. Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't need to sacrifice for me. They will return to the castle and live on happily. Yes I shouldn't even be revived, my life was long overdue and why was I given a second chance to hurt people around me? But I will be alone again. Will Aito remember this shameful mother? Will Lord Sesshoumaru ever remember me? A useless human?_ All Rin could hear now are her own voices echoing back into her ears ...

Back to the hut, Sesshoumaru is extremely worried about Rin. The girl has been gone for almost an hour and has not returned. _Could something have happened to her?_ The demon lord shakes his head lightly to discard the disconcerting thought. He does not sense any unusual presence and he is certain Rin is safe.

Jaken has returned with a bunch of fruits that his small body is able to carry. He is dozing off in the corner of the hut and constantly waking to check if his master is in need of him.

The Taiyoukai pulls the blanket up to his son's body and takes his leave but stops at the imp's side.

"Jaken." The green toad snaps his head up and quickly bows to his master.

"Yes milord." He replies clumsily.

"Retrieve two more blankets from Ah-un's saddle bag and lay them at the side of the dining table." The Taiyoukai emotionlessly instructs.

"Yes milord, right away." Before the toad speeds out of the hut Sesshoumaru interrupts him in his tracks.

"Retire for the day once it is done." With that the dog demon walks past the staggered little kappa and heads out to the river. Jaken bites his lower lips with tears rolling down his large eye round eyes at his master's generosity.

"With that generosity I ,Jaken , vow to serve Lord Sesshoumaru forever!" At the end of his sentence a giant rock hits on top of the green toad's head as he loses his balance and falls down.

As Sesshoumaru reaches the river, the water is calm and he knows Rin isn't here. He walks a bit farther and spots the girl slumbering under a tree with her face looking rather drained by the nightmare she has suffered. The demon lord kneels at the side of the girl and watches her carefully. She looks exhausted, her pale face could be due to the nasty weather at night but her painful expression shows that she isn't resting quite well, for the nightmare has once again claimed his precious ward.

Ever since the Taiyoukai found the girl in this village, he has constantly tried his level best to make sure the girl would eat properly and sleep peacefully at night. _Looks like life isn't favoring her much. _

Sesshoumaru looks down at the poor girl's hands on her laps, the bandages are wet and when he reaches out to touch her hands, they are cold as ice. The demon lord's eye brows drop and he gazes achingly thinking how many nights she has had to go to sleep without a proper blanket wrapped around her frail body to keep her warm? Taking the girl's hands on his lap, he starts to unwrap the wet bandages.

A warm sensation forms around Rin's hands; she quickly gathers her senses and realizes that she is no longer falling. _Am I already dead? Have I reached hell yet? _The girl wonders. Her hands are getting warmer and warmer, _could it be that hell's guardian has decided to burn me?_ _Because of the sins I have committed? _

Rin tries to open her eyes, but her eye lids feel so heavy and something inside her heart refuses her to open her eyes and witness the cruel world. But the warmth in her hands makes her feel so secure, so promising. As she tries hard to peel her eye lids, her half parted hazelnut orbs capture a blue white figure.

_Sesshoumaru?_ As Rin blinks her eyes several times her lord's figure is clearly in front of her, tending to her wounded hands, licking her cut palms, and changing to a new bandage. Rin's blurry eyes gaze intensely at the dog demon before her, Sesshoumaru of the west a famous cold hearted demon who bears no emotions and shows no pithiness to humans is now tending to her hands lovingly.

The Taiyoukai probably has sacrificed a lot of his pride to revive the girl, to save her and to protect her. This Sesshoumaru who once despised humans has taken her to his bed and even allowed a hanyou child to be born into this world. _With all the sacrifices he has done for me, I left him without a word!_ Rin's eyes glasses over with unshed tears as she continues eyeing her lord pitifully.

Sesshoumaru knows the girl is awake and can distinctly smell the scent of tears and feel the sadness emanating from her body. Once the bandage is successfully tied securely, he kisses the girl's hands before looking up to stare at her.

Her hands are now resting on the Taiyoukai's lap as he stretches out his hand to brush on one of the girl's cheeks; he notices that her face is extremely cold. When he traces his hands down to her neck, all the way down to her shoulders and arms, he can feel that his ward is shivering and for god's sake she feels like an iceberg.

Sesshoumaru gathers Rin into his laps and gently cradles her head onto his shoulder as if she is the most fragile creature in the world. With her head resting comfortably on top of the mokomoko, Rin can feel the warmth of the fluff touching her cheeks. Slowly she draws her legs up and curls her body close to the demon lord with her arms crossing around his torso in an embrace.

The Taiyoukai's hands stray onto the girl's lower back and pushes her even more closer towards him as he embraces her firmly, and securely. He then blesses her with a warm kiss on her forehead and whispers, "It was just a nightmare." The girl shakes her head delicately.

"No, it wasn't just a dream; Aito pushed me away and didn't listen to me when I asked him to escape. He must really hate me." She buries her cold face into the fluff on her lord's right shoulder and allows herself to wail.

"Aito does not hate you; he was just losing his self control." The girl trails off a little to look up at her lord.

"Tell me Rin, have you ever seen him transform before?" He asks seriously but yet comforting.

"No, I have not. He used to have red eyes whenever he got angry. But never like that transformation." She states while eying the demon lord curiously. "Why My lord?"

"That transformation was out of depression. When he feels so helpless to protect someone his demon blood will overtake his human's. In that situation he will lose himself and recognize no one." Rin's eyes widen in astonishment.

"But he was alright later. How ..." The Taiyoukai interrupts the girl's question.

"Because I was there." The bewildered girl frowns.

"What was the difference between your presence and mine?" She blinks her eyes a couple of times waiting for the answer inanticipation.

"When Aito looses himself in that demon form, he heeds no one but me. He's carrying my demon blood and we are able to communicate through this connection and submit to me." A startled Rin is almost losing her composure at the information received from her lord. Her mouth half parted with her eyes still staring in disbelief.

"What if my lord you didn't show up in time?" Rin asks worriedly but the Taiyoukai doesn't want to supply anymore information to frighten the girl for no reason. He has to end this conversation or the girl would find no peace to even sleep.

"I don't know but we will learn more about Aito soon from one person. He'll be able to answer us but before we plan for the trip, I have to make sure both Aito and you are fit to travel." Rin lowers her gaze to her knees; she isn't feeling comfortable with the less information that the demon lord has supplied. An arm tightens around the girl's waist and snaps her out of her own thoughts.

"You are a great mother, there's no reason why the boy has to hate you." The Taiyoukai brushes his clawed thumb across the girl's cheek as a confirmation to his remark. Rin stares at her lord's golden ambers. The dog demon always tries to make her feel better.

Strong winds blow and carrying her dark raven hair in the direction of the wind along with the western lord's silver hair. The girl trembles under the wind but the Taiyoukai tightens the embrace to keep her warm. A short moment of silent falls before the girl raises an inquiry.

"What if," She pauses as guilt rushes into her veins, "What if Aito hates you?"

Another brief moment of silence falls between them as the winds continue blowing. Brown gaze fixed with golden orbs, allowing both to have wordless eye contact.

"He won't." The girl raises her eye brows in surprise.

"Why are you so sure?" She stares curiously at the demon lord.

"I am not sure." He pauses with a sigh and lets his hand move up to gently stroke the girl's hair before continuing. "If Aito inherits my stubbornness he might hate me just as long as I hate my father for favoring Inuyasha. But," His left hand comes to the girl's face. His finger caresses the side of the cheek and lifts her head up at him.

"But my pup owns a big heart just like his mother. You're an angel and as an angel's son he will be able to understand us." Rin is amazed at Sesshoumaru's remarks; she nods in agreement and sends a genuine smile to her lord before looking away.

"I believe an angel would have been stronger than me. I am nothing but a weak human." The girl admits shamefully. Sesshoumaru laces his fingers with Rin's and presses his lips at the side of her head.

"If you are weak you wouldn't have confronted the demons in the forest. An ordinary human would have just fainted or run away. You are the strongest human I have encountered in my life. I am proud of you Rin." He brushes the girl's bangs and pulls a few strands behind her left ear. Rin looks up innocently at her lord.

"Besides, tears are not your weakness; they are the safety valve of your heart when too much pressure is laid on you. I was happy that you allowed yourself to breakdown in my arms. Those are unspeakable love, and mark of ultimate power for me to protect you even more." Rin's widened hazelnut eyes blink in disbelief at her lord's statements. All the time she has kept thinking that her tears would represent her weakness but who would have guessed the Taiyoukai takes her weak points as her strengths. The girl wraps her arms around the demon lord's shoulders and presses her head firmly at the side of his neck.

"Thank you so much my lord." She whispers into his shoulder as Sesshoumaru buries his nose into the girl's hair and sighs with relief.

"Come, you need some sleep." With that the Taiyoukai carries his precious ward and heads back to the hut.

The demon lord puts the girl down on the dining table. Rin states that she doesn't have the appetite to eat but her lord insists her to at least take some fruits as it was the green toad that retrieved it and she shouldn't waste his efforts. With her head turned to the little kappa that is slumbering away peacefully, the girl smiles thankfully at the imp and starts chewing an apple.

After that, an armorlessSesshoumaru carries Rin and lays her down on the blanket that the imp had setup earlier. They don't want to interrupt the resting boy and therefore they choose to sleep on the floor. With the Taiyoukai's arms still around the girl, he kisses the girl's forehead lovingly and whispers "Good night," in her eyes. He then lies next to the girl and pulls another blanket to cover up to her frail body as he watches her go fast asleep.

Hours passed as the demon lord continues watching his precious ward slumber so peacefully. His arms never leave the girl's waist; determine to assure to her his presence. Never will he allow nightmares to trouble the girl's sleep.

As the Taiyoukai's sensitive nose picks up the scent of dawn, knowing his son might be awake anytime soon or at least he hopes such, Sesshoumaru releases his hand slowly from Rin's waist. Gently pulling the blanket high up to her shoulder, he plants a kiss on her forehead before moving to the side of the bed to observe his son.

Aito remains in the same position as the demon lord last saw; if Sesshoumaru weren't a demon he could have mistaken the boy's life to be under threat. The demon lord's keen ears pick up the boy breathing peacefully and it relieves the dog demon.

Stretching out one of his hands, the Taiyoukai presses his claw fingers at the boy's face to feel his son's body temperature. He sighs in relief knowing the blanket he has brought is able to keep the boy warmed up_._ The demon lord rests his back at the edge of the bed to keep his son company.

Another good 2 hours pass and the sun shines through the windows, brightening the entire hut. Sesshoumaru turns to check on Rin who's still sound asleep, beautifully and peacefully.Such a beautiful sight that the Taiyoukai has a hard time looking away.

He turns back to his son and the boy stays still. Worry kicks into the western lord's veins; he has never made a wrong assumption before but this time his hesitation is actively kicking in the dog demon's mind. _What if Aito hasn't fainted out of exhaustion?_ _Then I would have risked his life by not doing anything for a whole night. Rin might not be able to face that._

Sesshouamru shakes his head slowly to discard the negative thoughts away, he has to be confident now, Rin and Aito are depending on him and thus he can't afford to let himself drown into such a discouraging situation. He lowers his body close to the boy with their faces touching.

"Son, come back to me. You won't want to upset your mother. Be my strongest pup and make me proud of you." Sesshoumaru whispers tenderly into Aito's right ear. Brushing off the boy's bang softly, the demon lord settles back to his usual position and waits forhis son to show some response.

Aito's ears twitch when this very familiar voice is absorbed through his ears, he recognizes it belonging to his father. As he attempts to part his heavy eye lids up, his mouth murmurs something. Sesshoumaru instantly turns to his son when he catches a small weak voice; he watches Aito's eyes twitch and slowly the half sunset eyes reveal themselves.

When Aito successfully widens his sunset eyes and captures his father's frame at his side, the boy's heart fills with bitter sweet joy. Sesshoumaru the most respectable lord in Aito's heart is his father, the man whom the boy was getting fonder with is his long lost father. _Why? _Is the very simple question that clouds over his aching head.

Sesshoumaru smiles with relief, the boy heard his voice and he feels so proud of it. His hand firmly presses on the boy's head.

"How are you feeling?" He asks in concern. Aito's mind is uncertain; he is torn between the choices of how to address the respectable demon lord in front of him. _Will I shame him if I call him father? Will I hurt him if I address him as Lord Sesshoumaru? _Aito keeps blinking his eyes while being puzzled with his thoughts.

"You will call me with whatever name you want as long as you feel comfortable. No hurry my son." One of the demon lord's claw fingers rubs tenderly at the bottom of the boy's eyes. Aito's eyes widen in amazement at his father's abilities in reading his mind.

"I take it you are hungry, you have not eaten anything since yesterday evening. I will hunt for you. Stay here Aito." With that the Taiyoukai leaves the bed and heads to the hut entrance.

Aito immediately sits up with his little effort and sits at the side of the bed with his short legs hung down. Facing his father's back and watching him leaving, the boy's jaw hangs down as his voice freezes. When Sesshoumaru is able to grip on the wooden door handle a weak voice stops him in his tracks.

"Father, why?" The demon lord cocks his head and glances at the boy over his shoulder. Two pairs of orbs clash; an inquiring pair of eyes meets a guilt stare. There are no words to be mouthed in this moment, for the Taiyoukai knows what his son is referring to. He walks back to the bed, passing the place where Rin is resting at. A brief glance to the girl to ensure she isn't awake yet to hear this moment's painful discussion that is about to take place.

Kneeling in front of Aito, Sesshoumaru puts his hands on the boy's laps as he looks up at his son's shiny sunset eyes. _Pity_ is the only thing he is able to see behind those eyes.

"I love you." Only those three precious words escape from the Taiyoukai's mouth. A small bead of tear drops from the little pup face on the dog demon's hands.

"Then why you never came to see me? Did I do anything to shame you?" Sesshoumaru widens his golden orbs in disbelief; he immediately pulls the boy's into his arms and embraces him tightly.

"Never! You will always be my most proud son. You did nothing to shame me; it is me who should be ashamed for not being able to find your mother more quickly." The demon lord shuts his eyes off tightly and tightens his hold around the boy's body. "Never ever think you shamed me. Never..."

Aito wraps his short arms around his father's neck and weeps his heart out. At the corner of the hut, Rin is wide awake and watches the duo sharing their most painful father and son moment. Battling with her decisions, does she need to step up and explain the situation? Sesshoumaru parts his eyes and rolls to the girl's side. He shakes his head dimly as an indication of 'no'. He would never allow the girl to once again deal with such an awful situation, he vows to reduce the burden on his precious ward's shoulders.

It is when the Taiyoukai and the girl convey a wordless conversation; the boy tilts his head up and looks at his father's face.

"Why didn't you reveal your identity when we were at the village? When the village boys threw rocks at me?" Rin's eyes dart onto her son upon that question. _When did that happened? Why did I not know about it?_ She feels an arrow being shot directly at her heart.

"Your mother and I wished to tell you in a more comfortable environment. We didn't plan to deceive you, trust me." Aito remains silent at the Taiyoukai's replies but is sniffing heavily. He reaches out his hands to rub away the tears on both sides of the boy's face.

"But I wished badly to let the boys know that Aito has a father, way powerful father than anyone of them had." The boy's hands stretches out wide as he describes the word 'powerful' causing the demon lord's lips to curl into a small smirk.

"You will have the chance, I promise you that." Releasing one of his hands from the back of the kid, Sesshoumaru pats on top of his son's head and kisses his forehead. Sorrow rushes into Aito's heart as he gazes sadly at the dog demon.

"Father," The boy sounds rather gloomy as he continues, "You're not going to leave me again right?" Sesshoumaru's heart burrows in pain at his son's question.

"Never again" Aito's lips curl inwardly into a grin as he beams happily at his father's reply. He lunges himself once again at the demon lord and Sesshoumaru wraps his arms tightly around his son's neck. Sesshoumaru pats the back of the boy as he turns slightly to the place where the girl lays and finds she is no longer there. _Rin!_

The Taiyoukai slowly lifts his son up and puts him on the bed, and gently pulls the kid's hands away from his neck. He needs to search his ward but before that there is another thing he needs to clarify with the boy.

"Son, was your mother upset last night?" Aito snaps his head up to the demon lord.

"Did she cry?" He asks in apprehension. Sesshoumaru nods.

"Mother must be mad at me; I shouldn't just run away like that. Sorry father!" The boy apologizes but the dog demon shakes his head lightly.

"It wasn't your disappearance that made her sad." Aito blinks his eyes, bewildered.

"Then?" The pup asks curiously.

"Because you pushed her away while she tried to get you to escape from the lion. She thinks you are mad at her." Aito's eyes pop wide open in astonishment.

"When did I push mother away? Aito don't remember anything!" The startled boy tugs at his father's sleeve in anticipation for an answer.

"It wasn't your fault; you were losing your self control." Aito gets on his knees and lands on Sesshoumaru's lap.

"Did I hurt mother? Is she wounded?" The Taiyoukai wraps an arm around the boy and pats his back.

"No she isn't." The boy's gaze falls with his head hung down. Another free hand of the demon lord brushes his son's bang to the side to reveal the kid's disconsolate face.

"Aito," The demon lord's voice softens, he sounds dejected. "Do you hate your mother?" The boy's body tenses, stunned by his father's question. He lowers his head and stares at his father's mokomoko. No words from the kid, Sesshoumaru's heart burrows in agony. He doesn't want his son to follow in his footsteps by hating someone he loves the most. Hate is such a painful feeling and it will lead the boy down a wrong path just like the Taiyoukai himself.

"Father," The demon lord hears a weak whisper in his right ear. "Aito will never grow up to hate you, because mother said no matter what happened in this world, father will always be there watching over us, love and care for us." Sesshoumaru smiles as the boy trails off a little to face the dog demon.

"Therefore, Aito will also not grow up to hate mother. Because Mother is always there for me, whenever I am in danger mother shields me, when I was sick she stays up for me without sleep. Aito loves mother!" The boy inches his lips towards a smile. Sesshoumaru returns a genuine smile to his son. He sighs in relief; to be able to know the boy isn't holding hatred, which means everything for the Taiyoukai.

Strangely enough it is at this moment a picture of Sesshoumaru's father's face crosses the demon lord's mind. The memory of the last conversation between the young Taiyoukai and the great dog demon Lord Inu no Taisho flashes into Sesshoumaru's head.

He begins to wonder, would his father feel a whole lot more relieved if he accepted his father's human mistress. _Perhaps I should._ Being a father himself now, Sesshoumaru truly understands the sacrificing feeling of being a parent. Like it or not, this new rising feeling has made the dog demon feel a little guilty for Lord Inu no Taisho.

Sesshoumaru lays his son back on the bed and tells the boy to rest until the meal is ready. As soon as the boy shuts his puffy eyes off the demon lord takes his leave. Jaken who has already awaken long back and heard the entire conversation shuts his eyes off the moment the Taiyoukai walks by and leaves the hut. When the imp confirms his lord has gone, he sits up on his own bed. With his teeth biting at the edge of the small half wet blanket, the green toad uses one of his free hands to wipe off the tears from his eyes. As annoying as the little kappa can be he too feels for the mother and kid's lives.

As soon as the Taiyoukai steps out from the hut, he searches for Rin by the river but she is not there. When he is about to turn into the forest, he spots the girl standing under the giant tree with her gaze fixed upon the calm flowing river.

Sesshoumaru's brows furrow at the girl's appearance, she has her kimono on but not completely. Rin is standing there under the bad weather with only a thin layer of inner kimono. A concerned demon lord immediately paces to the girl's side and shields her with both of his arms wrapped around her tiny body.

"Rin, never ever stay outside in such an incomplete apparel, you will get sick." The girl tilts her head up at the perturbed demon lord.

"Why are you preventing me to talk to Aito?" She inquires sadly; her lord arches his brow in surprise.

"Because either you or me, will just explain the same thing. I can do that for you Rin." He answers coolly while brushing the girl's long dark raven hair all the way down to her waist.

"It was my fault, I would rather Aito hate me than you. You did nothing my lord, he shouldn't hate you." her fingers grasp at the fabric on the western lord's shoulder.

"Oh Rin," He gently presses at the back of the girl's head close to his shoulder and lays her face on his mokomoko. "Aito told me he would never grow up hating me because you constantly told him not to and therefore he told me he will never grow up hating you either, because you two have gone through everything together. The boy loves you Rin, don't worry." The Taiyoukai kisses the girl's forehead before burying his nose into her hair, taking in her sweet flowery scent.

"Aito said so?" Rin snaps her head up abruptly meeting her lord's warm amber eyes. The demon lord inclines his head to support his declarations. The girl returns a weak smile to her lord and in return she earns another kiss from the demon lord on one of her cheeks.

"Rin, one of your old friends is here to meet you. Turn around and see." Slowly the girl cocks her head to the side and later to her back. Her hazelnut eyes widen in astonishment at the creature standing at her back.

"Ah-un!" The two headed dragon is howling with joy the moment the girl calls out its name. Rin runs to the dragon demon with her arms stretch wide apart and hugs the creature happily.

"Ah-un, it has been a while; I really missed you so much." Small beads of tears are visible at the corner of the girl's eyes as she hugs the dragon's neck tightly. Rin has Ah-un on each side of her arms while her head lies in the between the two headed dragon.

"Thank you Lord Sesshoumaru." Rin turns her head back to thank the demon lord. Sesshoumaru smirks contently to see his precious ward's smile again.

The Taiyoukai allows the girl and her best friend dragon demon to have a small reunion while he moves away to do some hunting for the mother and son.

When Sesshoumaru returns to the hut, Ah-un is grazing the grass at the nearby river While Rin is spotted standing at the side of the hut with a rather anxious look worn on her face. The demon lord walks up to the girl's side and presses a hand on one of the girl's shoulders.

"Rin, you should stay inside the hut." The girl turns to glance at her lord before returning her gaze back to the entrance.

"My lord could you help Aito to refresh himself?" The Taiyoukai narrows his eyes in bewilderment at his ward's request.

"Why can't you help him?" He asks the girl curiously.

"Because," She lowers her head sadly, "I am not sure if Aito feels comfortable with my presence." Rin turns to smile weakly at her lord before she runs to Ah-un's side. Sesshoumaru mouths no words, he knows the duo need to have some time to adjust to each other after the shocking revelation, but he does not wish to see their strong bond loosened if both are avoiding each other. The demon lord sighs; he steps into the hut and walks over to his son's side and carries the boy out to the river.

Morning passes by quite peacefully with Jaken helping the Taiyoukai to skin the boar and prepare the meal. Aito is introduced to the two headed dragon, Ah-un, and immediately loves his new friend, just like Rin, the boy is getting along well with the dragon demon and it pleases the demon lord. Both Rin and Aito have their meals outside the hut along with the Taiyoukai, the green toad and the two headed dragon demon, Ah-un. Just like a family of five.

Rin and Aito are unusually silent during the morning meal; they neither talk to each other nor even speakto the demon lord or the imp. This has made the environment turn out to be quite odd and tensed. Aito and Jaken are heading to the river to clean some utensils while Rin moves to Ah-un's side and spends her time with the dragon.

Whenever Aito shows up to play with his new friend, Rin finds excuses to walk away from them. She would either rest inside the hut or under the tree nearby the river. The boy makes no attempts to inquire anything from his father, he knows that he has upset his mother and hurt her on several occasions. All he wishes to do now is to give some time for his mother.

The same feeling hits Rin, even though Sesshoumaru has confirmed that Aito holds no hatred towards her, the girl still thinks she is at fault and decides to let the boy spend more time with his father.

Afternoon comes and goes, the mother and son continue avoiding each other brilliantly with excuses after excuses and it annoys the demon lord. Of course they need some time but it hurts the Taiyoukai seeing them act in such a way. They were once very close to each other, inseparable, so to see the duo like this is really eating away at Sesshoumaru's heart. _I need to find a way._ As he is determined to find a solution the green toad shows up in his sight. Hissing in annoyance, the green kappa pauses his steps and observes the Taiyoukai's face.

"What do you want Jaken?" The imp jumps out of being staggered as he quickly gets down on his knees and bows.

"My lord forgive my interruption but allow me to state the truth." Small beads of sweat are visible on both sides of the toad's face.

"Speak." Sesshoumaru grants coolly.

"My lord, Rin and Aito seem to be acting unusually bizarre. If only .." The demon lord cuts the imp's statement.

"I am not blind Jaken." The little kappa drops his head with his forehead touching on the floor and apologizes.

"No my lord, I did not mean to mouth anything bad, it is just that I think both of them need to speak to each other, alone. With us around they will keep finding excuses through us." Sesshoumaru golden orbs widen, _that's right, our absences would be the best moment for them to speak out!_ But the fact that the idea came from the green toad makes the demon lord wonder as to why he had never thought about this earlier. Determined with the imp's idea Sesshoumaru stands abruptly.

"Jaken." His deadly voice, calling out for the imp, sends a chill all over the kappa's small body.

"Y-yes mi-lord." He gulps in fear as all he can see from his lord is an evil smirk. Jaken knows his lord well; the demon lord obviously has some interesting idea on his mind.

As soon as the sun sets below the horizons, Jaken leaves under the instruction of the Taiyoukai to retrieve several things nearby with Ah-un tagging along. Sesshoumaru himself takes his leave with the excuses of going hunting leaving Rin and Aito unsure with the new environment now created.

Sitting at the nearby tree facing the river Rin and Aito both steal glances at each other from the corners of their eyes. Both remain silent hoping for the demon lord or the imp to return early. Unbeknownst to them, Jaken will be away for the night and the Taiyoukai has hidden somewhere nearby to observe the duo.

The girl starts to feel uncomfortable, never in her life has she ever been in a situation like this. Ever since Aito was born, he has been the only closest person for her and never have they been at a loss for chatty topics. The boy would have many things to tell her and she would enjoy listening to her son talking all night long. When they are not engaged in conversation, Rin would sing for her son until the boy slumbers peacefully_. _The memories of both of them together bring _tears_ to the girl's eyes. The boy could smell the faint scent of tears and sadness emanating from his mother's body. He cocks his head slightly to the left and captures the girl wiping her eyes with her kimono sleeves.

The next thing that Rin feels is small hands cupping on each of her cheeks. She opens her eyes to see the boy standing in front of her with a gloomy facial expression.

"Mother, Aito is promising to always listen to you, please don't cry." The girl is startled by her son's statements.

"Awww my dear son, it has nothing to do with you." Her hands brush the boy's messy hair with her lips curl into a small smile. "It is just that I miss the time you use to chat with me and how I use to sing for you."

Aito's gaze falls, he feels guilty for avoiding his mother. He drops to his knees onto the girl's lap and wraps his arms around his mother's neck.

"Mother, are you mad at me?" Rin widens her hazelnut eyes in surprise.

"Of course not my son, why would I have to?" The boy rolls his eyes from left to right trying to figure out how to answer his mother.

"Because Aito ran away and made mother worry." The girl smiles in relief.

"Aito, remember that no matter what you do mother will not be mad at you. You are my precious son and there's no way I am going to be angry at you." Rin ensures the boy as he beams happily.

"Mother," Sunset eyes meet with warm hazelnut orbs.

"Always remember that no matter what mother has done, Aito will never be angry or you." Rin's eyes get teary with joy; she nods feebly in acceptance while the boy buries his face in his mother's right shoulder.

"We will chat like how we use to be right mother?" The boy trails off and inquires in playful tone. Rin grins and keeps nodding in agreement.

"And I will sing for you like I used to, deal?" Aito claps both of his small hands and yells, "Of course!" and throws his arms around the girl's neck once again for a tight hug. Rin embraces her son and smiles contently.

Both mother and son enjoy the most beautiful moment in their lifetime while the demon lord smirks victoriously at the most precious things in his life before walking away into the forest to hunt for their dinner. Things have worked out just as the Taiyoukai had planned and he believes at this point nothing is going to break their bond easily.

Together this small family of the dog will head towards tomorrow, with the power of the great dog demon Sesshoumaru protecting them, with the sweet innocent Rin who loves her husband and cares for her pup and the most intelligent Aito who always lightens up everyone's life, their strong unbreakable bond will enable them to face whatever obstacles that lie in front of them.

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**Chapter end notes:**

I have a reason to why I took so long to write this chapter. This chapter is quite challenging, I would rather take longer time to write it and portray their feeling than simply posted something which you guys might not feel for them. This is the longest chapter I have ever wrote with 8.9k word count.

I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing this. (^_^)

Thank you for all the encouraging reviews and supports. (^_^)

Next chapter : **Intimate **

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**Anonymous reviews reply:**

-Hey** Naala**, LOL I am the queen of big meanie eh? Trust me I try to aovid that XD. I do have many ideas for stories dear, but I am slow in updating so the ideas might have to be reserved till I finish this Lily story. I am not good in handling multiple stories at once. Well I will be blamed for aging LOL Thank you so much for your support, it will be my pleasure if you stick around with me for my future stories (^_^) Im glad tht last chapter answered your doubt I hope you will love this super long chapter too. Next one will be less tense as we head into 'intimates' *hugs* and *kisses* for you dear Naala ... Thanks for your review (^_^)

-Dear **Greased Lightning**, thanks for your double review LOL I love you! Thanks for your review (^_^)

-Dear **Shinky**, Kyaa? (O.o) haha Anyway thanks for your review (^_^)

-Dear **orna**, Rin did reveal the reason why she left, though she did not mention the name of the person but we are close to knowing this person. Thanks for your review (^_^)

-Hey dear **Jolie**, sorry another long wait. Thank you so much for understanding Sesshoumaru, he was so worried he might havelost 2 of the most important things in his life. Haha for some reason everyone loves the part where Aito chooses to witness the lion getting shattered into millions of pieces haha. Of course, Aito is proud of his father always. The kappa's fate will always be taken care of by the kind hearted Rin ... We are finished with the reunion next we are off to 'intimates' ... Thanks for your review (^_^)


	21. Reconciliation

******Chapter notes:  
**

"_Tears are the safety valve of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it."_

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**Author notes:  
**

Hey everyone, I am back! Well I have not absence from fiction site but I am here mostly for reading. I am sorry, I know I have taken 1 month 13 days to update my story but I have solid reason for this. I have to move out from my current house and as only given 2 months to do so. I have to deal with a lot of things to get this new house available before 31st July. From renovate to painting etc … By time I really can sit down my mind was tired and writing is close to impossible.

Anyway, I have got back to writing a week ago and manage to almost complete 'Intimates' chapter but it turns out way too long and close to 14k of word count. So I split the chapter in half and here I present you **'Reconciliation'**

**'Intimates' **is close to finish and I just need to really sit down and feel my characters. I hope to get another chapter update before the 1st anniversary of Lily of the Valley' on 26th July. (^_^)

This chapter first dedicated to Sfdmoment and Divine Rose, both of them help me out to beta my last chapter. *big hugs * to both of you … Thank you so much dear!

Second dedication goes to elusivequeenbee, she is such a wonderful girl and always support me when am down.

Last but not least the dedication goes to all reviewers of this story. You guys are amazing! To all readers that added this story into their alert / favorites list, thank you very much and without you all this story won't be here. Shout out for Naala! I miss you dear!

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The Lily of the Valley signifies **"****_The Return of Happiness"  
_**

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**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi. **_

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**Chapter 21 – Reconciliation**

A beautiful crescent moon shines brightly lighting up the young night along with plenty of stars randomly twinkling in the sky.

Sesshoumaru returns with yet another prey and this time he has got himself an ox instead of a bear. He particularly enjoyed today's hunting not because he loves to kill the low class demon but because he is overjoyed to see his mate and his pup finally open up their hearts to each other. The Taiyoukai has come to the realization that watching the duo's chatty mode return is something worth far more than defeating a powerful demon in his life.

As the demon lord approaches the simple hut, he can hear the laughter from his son mixed with the very sweet and lullaby voice of his mate to be. His amber eyes captures the sight of his pup swirling around the boy's mother playfully before running and hugging the girl where the boy earns a kiss on his cheek.

The demon lord smirks victoriously; despite this unknown person who is trying to drive Rin away from his side, it is all proving futile now. The identity of the stranger might still be unknown but the real reason behind the girl's disappearance has become a minor issue now.

Aito is the proof of their love and Rin has vowed to never repeat the same mistake once again. The only thing that the Taiyoukai has left to do now is to complete their ritual mating by marking his precious ward as his and sharing his life span with the girl. He would never want to travel without giving a status to the girl, not when Aito is tagging along now. Rin has to be his official wife soon.

As Sesshoumaru walks closer to the duo, Aito's sensitive ears picks up the footsteps of his father. He immediately releases his arms from around Rin's neck and dashes to the Taiyoukai's side wrapping his arms around the demon lord's left leg.

"Welcome back father!" The boy exclaims in the utmost joyful tone as Rin walks closer to the duo and greets the demon lord with a delightful smile.

For the first time in Sesshoumaru's lifetime, he feels content. Some strange feeling flows through his veins and naturally his lips curl into a small smile of happiness. For a loved one's wound that needs tending to, a child's broken heart that needs mending, and the emptiness that needs to be filled; because it means he has a family.

The demon lord looks in the girl's direction with his hand brushing his pup's head. As the amber eyes meet with the hazelnut, both drowning in each other's gaze, countless love and affections are being exchanged wordlessly under the beautiful starry night. Such a beautiful moment is slightly interrupted by a small tug on the Taiyoukai's hakama. Reluctantly he breaks the eyes contact with Rin as he looks down at his pup.

"Father, Aito is hungry." The boy's pouting face almost makes the demon lord chuckle; he then bends down to pick his son up.

"Yes let's do it now." Aito stretches his arms high up to the sky and exclaims "Yay" excitedly.

"Father, where is Jaken?" The boy asks curiously, certainly not quite happy to see the imp's absence.

"I sent him off to get something done. We will have dinner without him." The pup nods in agreement as both walk towards the river followed closely by the blissful girl who is pleased with the father and son interaction.

The evening meal is ready in less than an hour and a half. Aito busies himself by cutting out the meat into small pieces before handing a bowl full of meat to his mother. Rin can't help but to burst out in laughter by looking at her son's soiled face, a few dark spots on his nose and on the cheeks.

"You little mud, come let me wipe the dirt away." The girl cradles the boy into her arms and wipes away the dark spots with her kimono sleeve. After which she presses her lips on the boy's forehead and whispers softly.

"Now go and eat." Aito jumps onto the ground and sits next to his mother with a giant ox thigh in his hand. He bites the meat in barbaric fashion to show his immense hunger, Rin grins at her poor son while Sesshoumaru lays his back against the tree and adores the moment between the mother and son.

When they complete their meals, Sesshoumaru helps Rin to bathe Aito. Though the kid seems to be fine to do it on his own the demon lord insists in helping out. When he bathed the boy last night, a moment of grief hit the Taiyoukai, he never got the chance to hold the boy when he was a baby, never bathed him and never put him to bed at night.

He knows such precious moments would never return and so he doesn't want to miss anymore moments with his pup.

As Rin takes off Aito's clothes, Sesshoumaru cradles him into his arms and moves over to the river. The boy is extremely overjoyed about the first bath session with the dog demon but as the water hits his head the kid's body stiffens at the cold water contact and he shivers.

Sesshoumaru notices Aito's hands clenching into a small fist with his eyes shut tightly. Slowly he continues to scoop more water and wet his pup's entire small body before he introduces the boy's body into the river.

Aito's body starts to relax as his body temperature adjusts to the coldness of the water. He feels secure being this close to his father and he certainly loves every single gentle touch from the demon lord.

As more water is being poured on top of the kid's head wetting his silver white hair, playful mood starts to kick in as the active boy splashes water with both of his hands. As a result it wets the Taiyoukai's kimono and Rin bends closer to her lord's side to warn the boy.

"Aito, stop doing that you will..." Before the girl is able to complete her sentence a large blob of water splashes directly onto her face.

"Yay! I got you mother!" The boy exclaims victoriously with his arms stretched high up into the sky. Rin bites her lower lips that curl into a small 'fake angry' smile. She rises on her feet, pulls her kimono skirt up to her knee length and walks into the river.

"Now watch this!" Rin scoops up a large lump of water and splashes it in the direction of Aito who is standing in front of Sesshoumaru. Much to the boy's quick reflexes, he speeds as fast as he can and as a result instead of the water hitting the kid it hits the Taiyoukai.

The girl covers her gaping mouth with her hands immediately as her kimono skirt falls over her knees and submerges into the river. Her widened astounded hazelnut eyes stare at her lord who has his upper kimono drenched with his silver bang glued to his forehead.

Sesshoumaru remains cool and silent; his eyes pierce through in the direction of the girl as it sends chills all over her body. Aito on the other hand stretches his arms high up into the sky and jumps happily for his father has shield him from the attack.

Rin walks to the demon lord's side and bends down to wipe the water off of his face with her kimono sleeve.

"I'm sorry my lord, I didn't mean to aim at you." Her face betrays her apologetic words as the girl tries to hold back the laughter behind her reply while looking at the demon lord's condition. She admits that the western lord does look adorable when wet, like a pup who fell into water.

The Taiyoukai captures the sight of his ward giggling and for some reason it pleases him. For so long he has missed such a natural smile from the girl. He reaches out with his right hand and grasps onto the girl's wrist.

"Rin, it is fine, just leave it." The girl nods with a light smile as she drops her hand to the side. She turns to her son's direction and glares playfully at the kid.

"Come here Aito." She commands with a slightly serious tone but the boy knows the motive behind it. Aito sneaks behind the demon lord to try to use his father again as a shield but this time Sesshoumaru angles his back slightly to catch the boy with his right arm and pulls him to towards his armor chest.

"Got you." Sesshoumaru smirks at his son, who looks rather astounded. He can't believe his father is siding with his mother.

"Father! This is so unfair!" Yells the boy unhappily as he kicks his legs in the river, splashing water everywhere.

Rin gets a hold of her son's legs, while with her other free hand continuing to splash water onto the boy's face.

The boy sends a pouting face to his parent, clearly unsatisfied with their 'team up' plan. He pushes his lips forward and downward with his gaze dropping onto his stomach.

The girl lowers her body to place a kiss on her son's temple knowing the kid is slightly upset.

"Alright my little prince, I surrender now. You're always the winner in my heart. Always." Aito cocks his head up with joy and pats his hands on each side of the girl's face.

"Really? I am the winner?" Rin nods with a big smile. As she is about to speak a voice interrupts her.

"You're the winner in my heart too. Always." Sesshoumaru's declaration makes the boy rejoice happily with his arms stretched high up into the air.

Rin giggles at her son's childish behavior while the demon lord pulls his pup closer and continues bathing the ecstatic kid.

A dry cloth is wrapped around Aito's body once the cleaning session complete. The Taiyoukai hoists his pup up and carries the boy back to the hut leaving the girl behind to her private refreshment.

The boy puts on a new attire and turns to see his father settle down his swords and armor on the table as he too is changing into a new kimono and hakama. Aito runs to his father's side as soon as the demon lord ties a simple sash around his waist. He bends down and drops onto one knee to draw his pup closer to his armor less chest.

"It is bed time now my son." The boy nods with slight disappointment as he is taken to the bed with a warm blanket now covering up to his shoulders. As Sesshoumaru places a good night kiss on the boy's temple, small hands reach up and cup on the demon lord face. He looks down at the kid's unsecure expression and it worries him.

"Father, is tomorrow going be as good as today was?" The boy's voice weakens, almost sounds uncertain.

"Yes, much better than today and will be far happier than any other day." The Taiyoukai answers immediately, almost does not need to hesitate over it. Aito's lips curl into a small relieved smile upon hearing the convincing statement from his father. His tired sunset eyes blink a couple of times until they completely shut off as he mouths some words.

"I love the moment with father and mother, I pray they last forever ..." These words escape from the boy's mouth before sleep entirely claims the active pup.

Sesshoumaru observes intensely as his son slumbers peacefully. It pains the Taiyoukai's heart each time his pup questions about being together and wishes for happier days. It almost looks like the boy's life is filled only with sadness since he was born. Of course being a demon lord's son, a pup must be able to live with any hardship and have to be constantly be strong. But Aito is different, he is a son from him and his precious Rin, and so he wants to ensure the boy's life be as much happier as he can promise.

Ensuring the blanket covers the boy well, Sesshoumaru makes his way out of the hut without bothering to put his armor on or carry his swords.

The night is quite calm and to be precise without Aito's presence this hut looks rather abandoned and the only sound that the demon lord's sensitive ears can pick up is the rhythm of the river flowing slowly under the light wind blow.

Sesshoumaru loves the silence, but ever since the imp and younger Rin tagged along his demand for quietness seems to have reduced. He doesn't show he was dissatisfied in fact he admits that the girl's lullaby voice was really able to ease off his mind most of the times. By now he sure loves to hear the boy's voice, a strange satisfaction happens each time his son calls for him. He feels content and whole again.

Since when did the great dog demon of the west ever weight happiness so highly? To him happiness is all about achieving supreme power and being content is all about to be able to defeat another strong demon.

But things have changed, the Tenseiga had compelled him to save a human life, and that human girl eventually ended up becoming his mate and rewarded this stubborn western lord an adorable pup. It doesn't really matter anymore as to why Tenseiga was assigned to him by Lord Inu no Taisho, for Sesshoumaru has found another path that he thinks is worth treasuring.

If anyone is out there still accusing that the Taiyoukai has weakened upon taking a human mate, wait until they make a confrontation with the demon lord, he will personally trash those foolish people out there just to prove his strength.

As the demon lord makes his way to the river, a faint sense of the girl in pain slices through the air. He nervously paces to the girl's side to find her holding her wounded hands close to her chest.

Rin tightens the blue obi around her waist ready to take her leave back to the hut. As she picks up the wet kimono and her son's attire, she pauses for a moment and eyes at her wounded hands. She then drops the clothes back onto the grass and draws her hands up closer to her face. Remembering what her lord told yesterday, the girl slowly unties the knot from the bandage and releases the wet bandage away. Scanning her palms carefully, she notices that the wounds still look rather fresh and it shows no sign of healing just yet. As she slightly stretches her fingers a jolt of pain shoots through her palm.

Rin lets out a low growl with her eyes shut tightly. She takes a few steps backwards and almost loses her balance but a pair of hands firmly supports the back of her shoulders, preventing her from falling.

"What happened, Rin?" The girl raises her head up to meet with agonized golden eyes and rewards the Taiyoukai a convincing smile.

"Nothing, I was stretching my fingers, didn't know that it still hurts a bit." Still with her assuring smile, Rin trails off from her lord and turns to face him.

Sesshoumaru takes both of his ward's hands and inspects. There's no doubt she still feels the pain, the wounds are not showing any signs of healing. The young girl reads the demon lord's apprehensive expression as she tries to mend the situation.

"It isn't an unbearable pain; compared to the time I delivered Aito, that was ten times worse." Her reply does not even ease off an ounce of agony from the demon lord's expression; in fact his brows drop as his eyes narrows in despondency.

The Taiyoukai's eyes close as he brings the girl's hands up to his lips, blowing some warm air on her cold palm to relieve the pain.

"Rin, never ever hurt yourself in such a way again, it torments my heart even more than you can imagine." His lips gently touch the girl's palm as guilt hits her badly. As Sesshoumaru releases from her hands, Rin smiles genuinely and nods in acceptance.

"Hold on my lord, I shall retrieve a new bandage." The girl turns to leave but the demon lord grasps onto her right arm. Rin turns to her lord with a questioning look.

"Don't go." His simple answer puzzles the girl, as she raises her eye brows and looks curiously at the western lord.

"I will be quick my lord." She attempts to break free from her lord's hold but this time he tightens the grasp on her right arm and pulls his ward into an embrace. Her head is resting on his right shoulder above the mokomoko.

"Stay with me. Do not walk away from me." Sesshoumaru's arms wrap securely around Rin's waist as he closes his eyes off to inhale and enjoy her scent. The girl returns the embrace as she too closes her tired eyes with a small smile forming on her lips.

The stars in the midnight sky, the melody from the ruffling of the foliage, there's nothing more real than to have your loved one in your arms, the feeling of being loved. Sesshoumaru knows what it is he needs; it is as clear as a shallow stream shining by the crescent moon. All he needs is to be loved by Rin.

When the Taiyoukai senses his ward's breath getting lighter and calmer, he knows that the girl is about to drift off into sleep. Slowly he moves a hand all the way from her waist to the back of her head and gently pats on it. It takes awhile for the girl to respond before she cocks her head up and stares at her lord with decidedly sleepy eyes.

"Let's go back inside." Rin smiles weakly with a nod as her hazelnut eyes are barely able to stay opened. Instead of trailing off, she drops her head back on the demon lord's shoulder. Sesshoumaru picks up the hint as he bends a little to hoist the girl with another arm and carries her back to the hut.

Sesshoumaru lays Rin on the floor on top of the blanket that he had set a day ago as their resting place. The girl has slumbered off peacefully, with her hands freezing like an iceberg. He is to be blamed of course and without wasting much time the dog demon picks up a new bandage and wraps the girl's wounded hands securely.

Once it is done, he lies close next to the girl and draws her closer to his arm for a warm and secure embrace. His amber eyes shut off as he adores the silence without the little kappa's snoring sound, both Aito and Rin are breathing tranquilly and the dog demon relaxes in the harmonious scene knowing tomorrow will be another brighter day with his own family.

Jaken returns the next day after Rin and Aito talked to each other. The green kappa is highly curious as he walks into the hut to see the boy circle around his mother who has the best smile in the entire universe. He wants to be nosy about how they were able to sort the problem over the night. Who talk to whom first? Or was it Lord Sesshoumaru who helped out?

On second thought, the little kappa shakes his head lightly to discard the idea. There is no way his lord knows how to sort this, but then again the demon lord might have used his idea and made a way for the two to be alone. Jaken smirks victoriously, thinking this has to be the reason why he was sent away immediately to retrieve some apparels and travel stuffs.

The green imp knows all too well to not boost about his intelligence for suggesting the most brilliant solution, knowing that the Taiyoukai would not credit anyone. So instead of finding out the truth he decides to suppress his curiosity. After all what is sorted is sorted and as long as he was not being dragged into the matter, he is more than happy.

Not that he won't be able to get the answer because Rin would gladly tell if he asks for it. But then again he doesn't need to really care how it settled as long as the active boy returns to his cheerful self. For some reason when the boy goes silent, the green kappa feels extremely odd. He definitely doesn't like to be bullied but if the boy is down Rin will not be happy and to be honest Jaken hates to see the girl with her long face, it just feels like the world is crashing down any moment.

But most importantly, the most fearful person has to be Sesshoumaru, when the great dog demon is in a bad mood or gets annoyed, the little kappa feels that his lord will swing his Bakusaiga at anytime to release his tension.

With that, the most loyal servant Jaken, decides he should move on and be a part of the family of the dog.

A week passes after the family of the dog reunited and things are going on pretty well for them. Sesshoumaru carries out his duties as leader of his family by ensuring his mate to be and his pup are always having their stomachs full before they retired for the day. He hunts for their meals and spends most of his day time to teach the boy some skills. He doesn't want to overdo it and only chooses some minor activities as the boy is still in the process of recovering.

During night time the Taiyoukai loves to settle down at Rin's side and be blessed by her pure love. The girl has grown much fonder of the demon lord and would share her problems with her lord instead of keeping them to her own. At this rate, Sesshoumaru knows that he will be able to move on with the travelling plan with peace of mind.

Today isn't a brighter day for the Aito to carry out his outdoor activities. The rain is pouring down since last night and continues on till evening. The boy sits himself by the window with his little pouting face hoping the rain will stop soon enough. Unfortunately, he has to call it a day when the sun starts setting below the horizon with the downpour of water getting heavier than it was in the morning.

Sesshoumaru has makes his way out in search of some food leaving his pup and his mate to be under the care of the green kappa. At the first lightning strike into the grey sky, Aito is taken aback a little. The image of the long lightning bolt frightens the boy a bit; he rolls his eyes to his left and finds Jaken staring in his direction. He decides not to freak out; there is no way he is going to show his weakness to the little toad.

Another lightning strikes and the boy finds himself distancing away from the window. This time he carefully walks away with a steady look, pretending he is getting bored with the outside scenery. As the thunderstorm continuously strikes with a loud voice that sounded like something exploded, Aito covers his eyes tightly with his hands as he runs as fast as he can and crashes into Rin's arm.

"Awww my poor son, don't be afraid. Mother is here." Rin cradles her son close to her chest and embraces him securely.

"HAHA you silly boy! I thought you feared nothing in this world? A real hero would not fear of thunderstorm and lightning." The words of insult hits the boy's pride badly as small tears stream down at the edges of his closed eyes.

"Master Jaken, Aito is only 4 years old. He is only a kid how can you hurt him in that way?" Rin glares angrily at the imp while stroking the back of her son to comfort the boy.

The little toad chooses to not press the matter further, he could smell the girl is upset and the boy is wailing with dissatisfaction. Only god knows what kind of punishment he will receive when the boy complains the matter to the demon lord. His lips begin to tremble so he bites them down and swallows thickly.

Rin has moved to the side of the wooden wardrobe hoping to shield away from the heavy thunderstorm continuing to strike. She is praying that her lord will return safely while she tries to ease her son's fears. The girl always finds herself in that position each time they face the same situation. She too fears the lightning.

Sesshoumaru returns with some fruits as that's the best thing he can get in these wet conditions. He steps into the hut but fails to locate the girl and the boy. Jaken is on his feet, welcoming his lord's return. Ignoring the imp, the demon lord walks further inside to see Rin and Aito curled up by the side of the wooden wardrobe. He drops onto his knee as the girl turns to see the Taiyoukai brushing his hand on the boy's head.

"Welcome back my lord, such heavy rain outside." She smiles sweetly but it doesn't mask the fearful aura around the duo.

"What's the matter Rin, why are you sitting here?" He asks softly in concern.

"The heavy lightning troubles Aito, the poor boy cried for while until sleep claimed him." She looks down at her son who seems to be slumbering quite peacefully at this moment.

"My lord you need to change, I shall get you a new cloth." Sesshoumaru stops the girl before she can move away.

"I can do it myself. Stay with Aito." With that the Taiyoukai rises on his feet and sends Jaken away to clean the fruits. He has set his armor and swords on the table as new dry attire is put on. Once he has tied a simple sash around his waist, he settles down at his ward's side and pulls the duo for an embrace.

Rin lies her head on Sesshoumaru's left shoulder while Aito is settled down on his father's laps. He slightly steers under the shifting position and is now awake. He cocks his head up and beams happily as he sees his father.

"Why are you crying my son?" Sesshoumaru reaches out his hands and brushes away some of the tears from the boy's cheek. Aito curls against his father, his hands clamp over his ears as thunder booms overhead. Another crack of thunder has him tucking his small legs up to his chin as he tries his best to hide within the folds of his father's kimono.

A warm hand sweeps comfortingly over the boy's hair from the crown of his head down to the middle of his shoulders.

"Don't be afraid," his father whispers. "That is just the sound of the god of thunder speaking to the god of wind." Rin looks up at her lord's statement with her eyes widened in astonishment.

Aito blinks his eyes curiously as he looks up at his father dubiously. "Why can't they just whisper then?"

"Because that's how the gods converse, we should not be afraid of them and we can not disturb their conversation." The Taiyoukai explains carefully with the girl listening with full interest.

"Father," The boy lowers his gaze as he speaks dejectedly. "I wish to be like you, to be fearless of everything."

Rin's brows drop at her son's dejected statement. Sesshoumaru strokes comfortingly at the back of his pup as he kisses the top of the boy's head.

"No one is fearless. To be without fear would truly be foolish. I too have a moment when I fear, it is all about how you handle it, so no one would know you are in fear." The demon lord states firmly. Aito cocks his head up to meet up with his father's warm golden orbs.

"Master Jaken said a real hero wouldn't fear thunder, Aito did and I know am weak." His melancholy voice enrages the Taiyoukai.

"No, you are not. Fear is only a weakness if you allow it to be. When you grow up one day you will learn to cope with it and become much stronger than me. Besides," He reaches out his claw finger to tilt his son's face up. "When did you learn to take Jaken's words seriously?"

Aito sends a toothy smile upon his father's remarks. The boy then leaps at his father to wrap an arm around his neck with another arm reaching out for his mother's neck.

"I will definitely become stronger to protect mother!" Yells the boy excitedly as he nuzzles his nose in between his father's and mother's shoulders.

When the wooden door opens, the green kappa walks in with a basket of freshly washed fruits in his hand. As he settles down the basket on the table the imp notices an uncomfortable glare from the direction of the wardrobe.

He turns to finds the boy baring his teeth and growling fiercely. A few beads of sweat are instantly visible at the side of Jaken's face as only god knows what fate lies ahead of him. Before the little kappa is able to mouth a word Aito roars furiously and charges at the imp, pinning him down on the floor.

Rin is about to steps in and defend the poor kappa but her wrist is held by the demon lord's hand.

"Let them be." He commands coolly.

"But master Jaken?" She settles down beside her lord worriedly.

"No big deal, Aito loves the imp to the point he wouldn't hurt him." Rin frowns at the weird statement but choose to not inquire any further.

Sesshoumaru wraps an arm around the girl's waist as he pulls her closer to his chest for an embrace. As the boy and the imp are busying themselves the demon lord thinks this is right time to bring up the talk about travelling. Looking down at Rin, whose is anxiously eyeing the struggling duo, the Taiyoukai brushes his ward's face tenderly to catch her attention.

"Don't worry about them; why not find something to do?" Rin blinks confusedly at her lord's sentences.

"Like?" Her curious face almost sets the demon lord off guard.

"Packing." Hazelnut eyes widen flabbergasted, as the girl parts her mouth slightly in surprise. Sesshoumaru leans forward to take the girl's open mouth for an unprepared kiss, as he releases her mouth the girl is still in a bewildered expression.

"Aito has completely recovered and I think you are fit enough to start our travel. Let's leave by tomorrow. We have gathered quite enough stuff and are well prepare for the long journey." Rin merely nods in acceptance; her gaze falls on her laps as she is in deep thought.

Sesshoumaru's hand rests on the girl's shoulder; she looks up with a weak smile.

"Do you want to settle down instead? We can build a better house up to your liking." Rin smiles at the sweet suggestion; she shakes her head off lightly indicating a 'no'.

"Travelling is fine for me my lord, but I think I will miss this place." Her hazelnut eyes glances the entire hut with a blissful smile worn on her face. After a moment of admiration the girl turns to her lord about to inquire something but chooses to remain silent. She looks away but her change of behavior doesn't go unnoticed.

"Tell me what's on your mind, Rin." The girl smiles sheepishly with her eyes rolling awhile before she braves herself to bring up the talk.

"Can I stop by Tsuyu san's village? I don't want to go without a proper farewell, after all without her Aito and I would have no shelter to live in. Please my lord?" Little did the girl know that her pleading is way too much to handle for the great dog demon. Sesshoumaru raises one of his hands up, he brushes the girl's hair and tucks a few strands of hair at the back of her ears.

"You should know by now to not beg me in such a way. As long as you are happy I will even grant you approval to stay with them for a night." Rin beams excitedly.

"Really? I can stay with Tsuyu san for a day?" She grasps onto the Taiyoukai's left arm with a surprised expresseion.

"Yes you can but only if they don't despise you. I don't want anyone to insult you and Aito." Rin nods understandably, she is thankful enough that the demon lord will let her stop by let alone to have permission to stay overnight. She leans over to reward her lord a thank you smooch on his magenta straps before resting her head over his broad shoulder.

Both of them are watching the boy chasing the little imp all around the hut like there's no tomorrow.

Aito retires quite early in the night after working out his small revenge on the little kappa. He was told about the travelling and the plan to stop by at Tsuyu's village has added to the excitement for the boy. Jaken crashes on his mini bed as soon as the boy stops chasing him; the poor imp has a large bulge on his head which will surely not recover by tomorrow.

Rin on the other hands is busy packing some of her and the boy's belongings. She was told by her lord to bring along lesser cloths since the demon lord has prepared some new ones for them. The girl is excited about travelling that's for sure; with Aito tagging along now the journey will be full of fun.

But along with excitement, a little downhearted feeling is arising. She is pondering about things moving way too fast and wonders if she is on the right track. _Is_ _happiness truly meant for me if I stayed away from the Western lands?_

Rin shakes her head off to discard the unwanted feeling knowing her lord is observing her. No matter what happens in the near future, she knows she has to face it. For better or worse let god decide, as for now she is ready to face the world tomorrow with her beloved Lord Sesshoumaru and her son.

The girl sighs in relief as she makes her way to join the Taiyoukai who's already on their usual sleeping spot. The girl crawls next to the demon lord's side and snuggles beneath his warm arms.

To be able to sleep under her lord's arms was something she would never dare to dream off because she knows her status and in which place she should be.

But things could change from now on, Sesshoumaru is ready to sacrifice everything for the girl and once again hopes to build her own family seem brighter at this moment.

Rin smiles with relief as her eyes lids are getting heavier and soon sleep claims the girl. Under the warm embrace from the Taiyoukai, the girl knows she is safe.

A light breeze blows caressing the girl's cheeks and it sends chills all over her body. Rin finds herself in an unknown place. It is dark and not even a dim light appears. She makes no attempt to move around but crosses her arms tightly around her chest out of coldness. She is shivering and the darkness frightens her for the last thing she can remember was snuggling up under her lord's arms.

Could this be yet again another dream? But why it is so real? As the girl is too preoccupied with her own thoughts she feels some presence, someone is coming nearer in her direction.

She is no demon who bears the sensitive senses to feel a being's presence but something tells the girl that someone is coming in her direction. While she is unsure the direction of this presence, Rin chooses to stay still until a familiar voice breaks through the spine – chilling silence.

"It's been a while girl."

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**Chapter end notes:**

This chapter is short I know but if I added the rest of the chapter it will be super long. Hope you guys not mad at me.

This chapter is mainly about the family of the dog, Sesshoumaru. (^_^) I love to write about them.

**Nstone**has once again drawn me another awesome picture. This time she gave me a picture of my OC Ryuuki. Follow the link below to see the awesome art! Remember to reduce the space to get the link working. She is such a talented girl and I don't know how to thank her. All I can do here is to tell everyone about her awesome work! If you guys have Deviantart account do drop her a comment ok?

h t t p : / / nstone53. Deviant art. Com/ art/ Ryuuki- 2172 8643_5_

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**Anonymous reviews reply:  
**

**piosime****: **Thank you for your review, I have edited the last chapter and I do have beta reader to check my work. I am writing in present tense and so ya you know there will be a bit of grammar mess up but Beta and I will try to avoid it. Thanks for your reminder.

**Jolie****: ***hide from the monitor screen * Sorry dear Jolie, this chapter was a month late. I know this chapter is short but I will try to get the rest up before 26th. I should be a bit free after this weekend. Thank you so much for your review, errr intimates will come next I promise! I love you Jolie and thanks for reading. (^_^)

**Frog Legs****: **You know I love you so much! Thank you dear, you are always there for me (^_^) Love you!


	22. Intimates

**Chapter notes:  
**

"_The greatest gift you and your partner can give your children is the example of a beautiful intimate, healthy family, and loving relationship."_

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**Author notes:  
**

Hello my dear readers, how's everyone doing? I hope everyone had an enjoyable summer (n_n)

I am sorry for another late update. I lost a friend, and it took me so long to adjust myself to my current life. Everyone told me life moves on and eventually I have to let go. I am still recovering from that painful loss and slowly I find out that by writing it could really help me to ease off a lot.

This chapter is another family chapter and should be relaxing, if by any means this turns out a bit more sad, then I apologize. I tried to make up for the delay with a long chapter and so I hope you will all enjoy reading this chapter.

Towards the end of this chapter, it is rated as 'M' with mild citrus/lemon scene. It was hard to write but I am happy with the outcome. Finally I reunite Sesshoumaru and Rin after 21 chapters of suffering.

Without delay, I hereby present to you, Chapter 22 ... Intimates...

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The Lily of the Valley signifies **"****_The Return of Happiness"_**

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**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi.**_

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**Chapter 22 – Intimates**

"It has been a while girl."

Rin's snaps up at the firm voice of a lady and she instantly recognizes it. The last thing that she wants to hear is this very same voice. She is panicking, but tries to remain calm. Swallowing hard, she turns to her back slowly to catch the sight of a vague form from afar. The girl instantly drops onto her knees with her head touching the floor begging for forgiveness.

"You have broken your promise little girl, and with that you are not going see anyone who is so dear to you. FOREVER!" Rin can hear the lady hissing infuriately which soon becomes a threatening roar.

A strong light generates around the vague figure and it hits Rin's body which sends her a thousand jolts of pain. She isn't cared about the pain on her body, for all she wishes to know now is the safety of her lord and her son. As the shining light slowly turns into a flame the girl shouts out at the top of her lungs. "LORD SESSHOUMARU!"

Her hazelnut eyes widens in horror, she is panting heavily with sweat dripping on both sides of her face. _Was that a dream?_ Rin instantly rises to a sitting position as the first thing she wants to check on is her lord. She turns to her side and notices the demon lord isn't there. Her mouth parts in shock as she swiftly gets on her feet and runs to the bed to check on her son.

Aito is not there too and Rin is getting alarmed, is she just losing her love ones in one night? Discarding the painful thought away by shaking her head, the girl runs to the wooden door to the outside of the hut.

"Ah-Un is not here!" She has lost all her hopes at this point. If Ah-Un isn't here nibbling the grass then the dream isn't just a dream it is a real message. She drops on her knees and wails desperately until her name gets called.

"Rin." The girl immediately turns to the direction of the calm voice to find Sesshoumaru standing not far away with Aito in his arms, Ah-Un follows behind with Jaken joining them a minute later.

Rin rises on her feet, her widened astounded hazelnut eyes scans the small group before her. _Are they real?_ She does not move and it worries the Taiyoukai. Aito slips away from his father's arms and pace to his mother's side.

"Mother, what happened? Why are you crying?" The small tuck on her kimono from the boy snaps the girl out from whatever world she was in a moment earlier. She looks down and touches her son's head and realizes she is not dreaming.

Rin shuts her eyes tightly, allowing tears to stream down her cheeks. Sesshoumaru walks closer to the girl and pulls her close for a comforting hug. She drops her face and buries it into the demon lord's broad shoulder with her arms circled around his waist.

"Thank god, you are all here. I thought, I thought everyone was _vanishing._" She softly echoes it with the last word untold. Puzzled Sesshoumaru frowns at her incomplete sentence but makes no attempt to clarify with his ward.

"It was only a nightmare Rin." Tightening his arms around the girl's frail body; the Taiyoukai presses his lips on her temple. Rin nods without a word as she tries to calm herself down from an appalling nightmare.

'Mother." Aito tucks at his mother's kimono again with his pouting look as he tries to catch her attention. The girl trails off from her lord and lowers her gaze to the boy to find out he has new attire on.

"Oh dear, sorry I did not notice this earlier. You look stunning, my little prince." She drops to her knees and cradles the boy into her laps to check on the beautiful clothe. Aito is wearing a white kimono with long sleeves which almost looks the same like Sesshoumaru's except it doesn't have the honey comb on it; instead it has a red flower painted on it. He looks like a mini Sesshoumaru, for which the girl chuckles at the pup's cuteness.

"Really? Father said I will travel in this new outfit and this is so soft and comfortable, Aito love it!" His arms stretch high up as the boy yells merrily. He then wraps his arms around the girl's neck and inquires something that makes her almost burst out in laughter.

"Mother, do I look better than father?" The kid's sunset eyes blinks awaiting the answer eagerly.

"Of course my son, you look better, no doubt." Aito smiles toothily with his eyes shimmering under the sunlight. He kisses his mother's cheek and jumps off from her laps and circles around the imp to boast about this new found compliment. Jaken glares boringly at the kid, for sure he knows Rin is just entertaining the boy, there is no way the kid can look better than his lord, at least he thinks so.

As Rin stands up, Sesshoumaru moves to her side and leans closer to her ear.

"Oh, so what changes do I need to impress this lady Rin?" He whispers playfully into her ear while the girl chuckles at the demon lord's statement.

"Don't be jealous of your son, my lord you look perfect enough. There's no harm to praise the boy." Sesshoumaru smirks at Rin's reply; he reaches out a hand to places it on the nape of her neck.

"All the things are on Ah-Un's saddle, we can travel to the village at anytime you desire. Unless you are unwell then we can delay for another day." Rin shakes her head with a smile.

"I feel better now so let's start the journey today." Her lips curl into a big smile as she assures her lord about travelling. Sesshoumaru presses his right hand and on the girl's and gently brushes her knuckles.

"There's a new kimono for you on the table, change into that attire." Rin looks into her lord's eyes in surprise but only nods silently. She then makes her way to the river and freshens herself up before heading back to the hut.

Rin sits at the dining table and draws the white cover package closer. Slowly she unties the string and pulls the white fabric away to reveal a light pink kimono mixed with a large phoenix bird and flowers painted on it along with a peach colored obi.

Her hazelnut eyes widen in amazement at the beautiful attire, she then runs her fingers throughout the fabric of the kimono and realizes it was made from a fine silk just like her other kimonos gifted by the demon lord.

A small blissful smile wears on Rin's face at the memories of those days when she was entrusted under Kaede's care. The Taiyoukai often visited her at the miko hut. Her lord would always brought her a new kimono along with other hair accessories when she grew up.

Walking over to her bed, she places her new kimono on the bed and undresses herself from the current outfit. She lifts the fine silk _juban_ high up and notices the sheerness of the inner garment, but considering that her outer kimono is quite thick having a thinner _juban_ may be a fine idea and more comfortable.

She slips the _juban_ on and covers her naked body followed by the new kimono. Once she ties the peach kimono securely around her waist, the girl moves the wooden wardrobe to retrieve her brush and smoothens her hair with a small pony tail tied up on her right side.

Once complete, Rin turns and looks around the entire hut for the final time with a grateful smile. _Goodbye my sweet little home._ The girl whispers softly as she makes her way out of the hut.

Aito widens his sunset eyes as his mother appears from the hut with her new attire on. Sesshoumaru follows his son's gaze and lands on the beautiful petite girl's figure. He too widens his amber eyes with his gaze piercing through the girl's body in amazement.

Rin blinks her hazelnut eyes puzzled, as she lowers her gaze to check on her garment. There is nothing wrong with her kimono that would cause the duo to have such an expression worn on their faces. She turns back to the duo with a questioning look.

"Is there anything wrong with my attire?" Aito runs to his mother's side as the girl drops to her knees with her hands wide open to welcome the boy in her arms.

"Of course something is wrong, how can this kimono look so good on mother!" The boy giggles evilly while he half covering his mouth.

"You naughty little boy trying to tease mother huh?" Rin tickles Aito's stomach and makes the boy laugh out loud.

"Mother, I did not tease you," He leans closer to kiss his mother's forehead before continuing.

"You really are beautiful. If you don't trust me you can ask father." Aito turns to his back and waves at the demon lord to come closer.

Sesshoumaru bends closer to the duo and cradles his pup onto his laps.

"Indeed, your mother is the prettiest girl in this universe." The boy beams excitedly with his arms stretched high up to the sky. Then his eyes glimpse at the green toad resting under a tree. A brilliant idea strikes his mind.

"Father, I think Jaken needs a new outfit too, can I make him wear something brighter? His attire looks so down and it makes everything look gloomy." Jaken shoots an annoying glare at the boy pleading innocently to the Taiyoukai. _Like Lord Sesshoumaru even cares about what I wear?_ The imp mutters in a low tone.

"Yes you can do whatever you want." The green toad's jaw drops as his large eyes widen in disbelief at the Western lord's comment. Aito instantly jumps out of his father's laps and speeds to the little kappa's side to pin him down on the grass.

"Aito don't do ..." Sesshoumaru cuts the girl's statement and reaches out his arms to circle around her waist and pull her closer to him.

"Let them be." is his only answer but Rin presses further.

Rin frowns. "You can't let Aito bully master Jaken like that, it is not fair." She states firmly.

"You are a distraction Rin." The girl narrows her eyes at her lord.

"You are not listening to m..." Before Rin able to complete her sentences the Taiyoukai crashes his lips on her with one of his hands sneaking through the back of her head for better control.

A passionate kiss in the morning is surely refreshing for the demon lord, he pulls away from the girl to notice her red flushed face. The sight of the shy girl catching her breath is definitely adorable and it pleases the dog demon.

Rin sighs heavily, shaking her head lightly at the way her lord handles the boy, it will surely spoil the pup and more importantly the green toad will be the most pitiable victim.

"You are going to spoil Aito at this rate." The girl fixes her gaze at the boy who is currently pulling the little kappa's hakama with the imp struggling to break free.

"The son of the great dog demon, Sesshouamru," The Taiyoukai slips one of his hands under the girl's knees and hoists her up with the gentleness for a newborn baby.

"...is meant to be spoiled." Rin exhales in capitulation; there is no way she can argue with her lord. The demon lord smirks victoriously as he moves to where Ah-Un is resting.

Aito senses his father leaving as he too releases the imp abruptly and follows the trails of the dog demon leaving the poor green toad to bring himself back to reality. As soon as he is able to catch his breath, he turns to scan the surroundings and notices he is once again left behind. Quickly, he gets on his feet to pick up his staff of two heads and speeds as fast as he can to the family of the dog.

"Lord Sesshouamru, wait for me!"

After a good 15 minutes of walking, the group approaches the geisha house, Ah-Un stops to allow Rin to dismount. Her jaw drops in utmost shock with her eyes widened in disbelief. The geisha house is no longer there and what they can see is only an empty field with some left over burnt wood.

Rin turns to Sesshoumaru, seeking for an answer but the demon lord's emotionless face shows no clue of what had happened. Not that he used to show emotions before but after being with her lord for so long, the girl more or less would be able to read what is on the demon lord's mind behind this aloof expression.

She walks a bit closer to the empty field with her heart despondently shrunk. No matter how bad this place was, this was the place where she earned her meals to feed her beloved son.

Sesshoumaru inches to the girl's side with an arm wrapping around her waist.

"Let's head to the village." Rin nods without a word as the duo pace back to the group. She mounts on the two headed dragon and makes a final glance at the empty field to capture the memory she once had of the geisha house's kitchen.

The entire walk to the village for Rin, is heavy hearted. She wishes to ask the demon lord whether he knows anything about the incident but fears it might lead to a misunderstanding so the girl stays silent

When the village is visible in their field of view, Rin dismounts from Ah-Un and walks to the entrance of the village. Since the geisha house no longer exists, the girl tips that Tsuyu should be at home at this time. The group stops at the front and no one is spotted outside.

Rin lifts her head up to stare at Sesshoumaru; he nods as a signal for her to move on. The girl returns the nods with a smile as she disappears into the entrance. Aito hides behind his father, still puzzled about whether to follow his mother.

The Taiyoukai bends lower to match the height of his pup and slightly push the boy close to his armored chest.

"You should follow your mother." No answer comes from the boy, he seems paranoid and no doubt he is still alarmed by what had happened before with the villager's kids.

"If the village boys fail to behave, I will come to educate them. Don't let the boys stop you from doing what you want to." Aito nods happily, he agrees with his father's statement that he should not let the villager's kids to stop him from saying goodbye to his lovely Tsuyu grandma. _Aito should fear no one._

The boy kisses his father's cheek before running in the same direction the girl headed earlier.

Inside the village, Rin walks very slowly and hopes not to bump into any villager that might get upset with her appearance. She has reached a field where a large group of females are sitting together; they seem to be busy cleaning some vegetables. They look happy with their usual chatter and it makes the girl smile too.

One of the village girls spots Rin and stops talking; she taps on another girl's shoulder and points in the direction of where Rin is standing.

Rin bows to the duo nervously as she tries to steady her smile. Another girl with her back facing Rin turns and beams overjoyed. She rises from her spot, dashing to the girl's side and gives a friendly hug for her best friend.

"Oh my god, is that you Rin?" Akemi asks excitedly.

"Of course it's me, who else do you think?" Rin laughs at her friend's silly question with her hand covering her mouth slightly.

"You look so different dear, you are so beautiful! Let me guess this kimono was given to you by the furious dog?" Akemi rubs her index finger under her chin as she sends a questioning look at the girl.

"You sure know how to give my lord a nickname. Yes Lord Sesshomaru gave this to me." Akemi grasps onto Rin's hand and makes her twirl around to show off her new attire.

"Ah, look who's defending the furious dog now, it is none other than his mate." Rin gently fist on Akemi's stomach playfully as she sends her a fake death glare, as a result both giggle heartily.

'Rin!" Both Akemi and Rin turn to their backs in the direction where a voice is calling from. Tsuyu holds a basket of fruits as she seems to have just existed from one of the huts. She sets the basket on the ground and runs to the girls' side.

Tsuyu embraces Rin as soon as she approaches the duo like a long lost mother uniting with her daughter. A small bead of tear is visible at the corner of the lady's eyes.

"Thank god you look much better than the last time I saw you." Tsuyu sighs in relief. The girl smiles as she trails off a little to meet with the old lady eyeing her with joy.

Tsuyu glances at Rin and notices she has different appearance from the usual, her heart twitches a bit as she almost figures out the purpose of the girl being here at this time.

"So you have made your decision huh?" The lady inquires, Rin nods as her lips are graced by a small smile but Akemi seems to be confused.

"What decision?" Akemi questions curiously. A short silent falls before Tsuyu gathers her voice and explains to the confused girl.

Meanwhile, Aito runs as fast as he can to find his mother while hoping he will not encounter with the village boys. Unfortunately while he is searching, seemingly lost, he accidentally bumps into someone and falls on the grass.

He lifts his head up to see the same the boy who had insulted him last time. He stands up and is about to turn to another direction but another group of kids appear out of nowhere. Aito steps backward a little as the villager kids walk closer to him. As Aito reaches a dead end with his back touching the wall, one of the boys steps up and faces him.

"What are you doing here?" Aito screams inaudibly in his mind for his father.

Back to the other side in the village, Akemi looks rather dejected after listening to Tsuyu's explanation. She loves Rin and would wish her to stay on but if she is off with her family then she will bless the girl with all her heart.

"Do you really have to leave so soon?" Akemi asks sadly.

"Can you stay with us for at least one night? Tsuyu adds quickly.

Rin furrows her brow dolefully, she doesn't have a choice though, and even if she wishes to stay the villagers might not be pleased about it.

"I don't want to upset everyone with my presence." She smiles bitterly. Tsuyu and Akemi return the smile as the three hug each other for the last time. They release from each other and Rin bows to the duo before she turns to leave but stops short when another female voices calls out her name.

"Rin, hold on." A few villager girls appear and join Tsuyu's side. Rin smiles nervously at them as one of the girls steps out and walks towards her.

"Are you," The girl gulps before continuing, "Leaving?"

Rin nods with a relieved smile, ever since she was pregnant with Aito, the villagers have never spoken to her properly. Another villager walks up, she's a bit older and almost the same age like Tsuyu. The lady takes Rin's left hand and with her other free hand she pats softly on top of the girl's left hand.

"We have been rude to you and the poor boy; never tried to understand your condition. Instead we drove you both away to that abandoned hut and almost got you raped by the bandits if Ryuuki wasn't there in time." Rin shakes her head to disapprove but the lady prevents her from speaking.

"Tsuyu is right, if we can accept Ryuuki as one of us, we should not despise you for the fact that you are a demon's mate. Besides, poor Aito he is such an adorable boy. He never harmed us but the kids always insulted him. I am sorry Rin." The lady explains in shame at what she and the rest of the villagers have done.

Rin lifts another free hand to gently pat on the lady's hand with her lips curl into a huge grin.

"It is alright, I'm not mad. Besides what happen had happened, let's move on." The lady returns genuine a smile to the girl before they hug each other. The rest of the village girls circle around and group.. Tsuyu looks at Akemi as both exchange smiles of relief.

"Rin, please stay with us tonight, we want to do something for you." One of the girls begs with the rest voicing the same desire.

Rin nods happily knowing that her lord would permit her to stay. All the village girls share the same joy as some of them clap their hands and start to plan on their special meal.

The girl excuses herself from the group as she wishes to tell her lord about the great news. While on her way approaching the main entrance, Rin hears some noise from the alley in between the huts. Out of her curiosity, she makes her way close to the alley and spots her son with a group of village kids.

Aito gulps in fear at the boy's question. He tries to scream for his father's help but finds no voice. The village boy's expression softens, he turns his head slightly to another direction as if hiding something on his face.

Aito watches curiously with his head slightly lowered to catch the boy's facial expression.

"I was thinking," The boy's sudden voice makes Aito gasp as he returns back to his position.

".. if you could," He makes a fake cough before continuing "If you have time to play hide and seek with us." Aito's eyes pop wide open in shock, the kids never ever asked him to play along ever since he lived there and this invitation is a complete blow for the young pup.

"Are you sure you want me to play along?" The young pup eagerly waiting for the answer. The village boy nods still avoiding eye contact with Aito.

Aito beams cheerfully as he dashes to the villager boy and gives him a friendly hug. It shocks the boy at first but he too returns the hug with a small smile wearing on his lips. The rest of the kids share the enjoyment as they too smile happily.

"Alright so you are first to go. Count for ten!" Aito instructs, the rest of the villager boys run away from the corner to search for a place to hide with Aito following immediately but stops short when his name is being called.

"Aito," The boy's voice is filled with great guilt.

"Yes?" A shot silence falls as the boy tries to build up his courage to speak his next word.

"I-I ..." He gulps hard as he tries to make another attempt, "I- am sor-ry."

His head hangs as he apologizes. Aito can't hide his elation, but before he replies he reaches out a hand to squeeze one of his cheeks. _Ouch!_ He feels the pain and that is proof he isn't dreaming. He chuckles on his own as the other boy watches on curiously.

"If you could find me out I may consider forgiving you." With that Aito speeds as fast as he can from the alley to find a proper place to hide without noticing his mother standing nearby with his heart filled with excitement. He has found his father and enjoys the time with him and now he has got friends, life could not be better than this. He wishes all of this isn't just a dream.

The village boy smiles as Aito's silhouette fades away; he turns to the wall and starts counting.

Rin chuckles softly and slowly moves away from the boy without being noticed. She makes a clumsy turn and collides with Sesshoumaru, who has been there watching the incident.

His arms circle around the girl's back to support her from falling.

"I don't mind to have another collision without armor." Rin partly covers her mouth and giggles.

"My lord, did you see the..." The demon lord interrupts before the girl finishes her sentence.

"Yes, the boys seem to have some sense after all and allowed our pup to associate with them." The Taiyoukai answers sarcastically. Rin laughs at the demon lord's statement.

"How long have you been here my lord?" She asks curiously.

"Long enough to witness another make-up." The girl's is astounded with her mouth parting a little.

"If you want an answer then it is a 'yes'." Rin beams excitedly as she throws her arms around the Taiyoukai's neck.

"Thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru." She whispers cheerfully.

The sun shining straight above in the sky indicates the onset of afternoon. A group of village men return with their crops and Ryuuki is tagging along. As they walk past the Taiyoukai who is resting under a tree, none of them makes an attempt to speak with him, who will anyway. But they do not show any hatred as well.

Shinobu, son of Tsuyu san leads the villagers back but Ryuuki stops in his tracks and looks over his shoulder at the dog demon. As usual he and his stoic expression and to be honest Ryuuki doesn't quite like the demon lord. Although he no longer considers himself as the Taiyoukai's love rival, he admits that his heart still holds for Rin, secretly.

Ryuuki returns to the village and heads straight to look for Rin, he is told by some villager about the girl's decision to depart from this neighborhood. He is downcast, he has not seen the girl for at least a month and soon he will not be able to find an excuse to meet her again. He knows that he is going to miss the girl so dearly.

He walks over to Tsuyu's hut and finds no one there. He then heads out from the hut and almost collides with someone but is able to stop abruptly. The leopard looks up with his heart pounding unsteadily. Rin stands before him, she bows with a sweet smile on her face and it makes the cat demon almost loose his balance at the beauty of the innocent girl.

"Good afternoon master Ryuuki." Rin greets with a heart warming smile. Ryuuki feels he is drowning into the girl's voice as he stares at her with such an unblinking adoration until he senses a hand waving in front of his eyes.

"Master Ryuuki, are you alright?" The leopard snaps back into reality as he moves one of hands to the back of his head and scratches his non-itchy head.

"Oh it is nothing," He chuckles for no reason before he continues; "You're quite a distraction." His chuckle turns into a soft laugh.

Rin freezes at the comment, this is the second time today she has been told that she is a distraction. She can't help but to burst out a low laugh.

"I was about to get Aito to lunch, why not you join us?" Ryuuki instantly agrees as Rin bows to him and makes her way past the cat demon.

Ryuuki swiftly reaches out his right hand to grasp onto the girl's right arm to stop her. Rin turns to face the leopard in bewilderment.

"Yes?" She curiously eyes the cat demon who still has his hand on her arm.

"How are your palms? Getting any better?" He asks in great concern. The girl nods with a weak smile.

"It is getting much better, the pain has reduced but it will take time to heal completely." Ryuuki inclines his head in understanding, his hand still on the girl's arm. The moment is slightly uncomfortable as Rin tries to figure out a way to release her arm from his hold until a voice brings her back to reality.

"So," He pauses. "You have decided to go." Rin looks into Ryuuki's eyes and she can see that he is taking her leaving quite hard. She takes this opportunity to step back a little to make the leopard's hand slip away from her arm before she nods with a small smile.

"I see." Both remain silent for few minutes before the cat demon tries to break the soundlessness between them.

"You have to visit us more often; I know Tsuyu san will miss you so dearly." The girl inclines her head with a rather bitter smile.

"Aito and I will miss everyone here." Both exchange smiles before Ryuuki stretches his right arm out as an invitation.

"Shall we?" Rin nods as both of them walk off to join the rest of the villagers for lunch.

Aito is extremely busy during the afternoon meal. He lungs at Tsuyu's arms and keeps telling the old lady about his powerful father, telling her about his training session with the Taiyoukai and how the dog demon bathed him several times.

Tsuyu is pleased for the overjoyed boy; she always felt pity for him and seeing him able to unite with his father now sure brings a tear of joy at the corners of her eyes. She has treated the young pup as her own grandson from the very beginning.

As Ryuuki shows up at the afternoon meal, Aito finds a new victim to tell his own sweet tale. He jumps onto the leopard demon's laps and braggs about his powerful father. Of course the cat demon has no interest to learn anything about the dog demon but seeing the poor pup telling it all excitedly he can't say 'no' but to hear the entire compliments. Rin can only laugh at her son's behavior.

As the sun dips into the horizon, evening replaces in peacefully. Aito along with the other kids are now at the river to have a group bath together with village men. While the ladies are busy serving the evening meals at the empty field right in the center of the village.

A cow and a few chickens are sacrificed for this departure event as they wish to say goodbye properly to the girl. As soon as all the food are nicely arranged, all the ladies leave to refresh themselves at another side of the river with Rin tagging along with Tsuyu and Akemi.

Once the girl changes into some new attire, she makes her way out of the hut to search for the Taiyoukai while almost all the villagers head back to the field for their dinner.

After searching for a while, Rin spots Sesshoumaru resting under a tree not far away from the village entrance. She stops in her tracks when she notices the demon lord isn't alone, there's a small girl who appears to be only 3 years old circling around the dog demon. Rin walks closer to the nearby bushes and plans to observe before she approaches the duo.

Sesshoumaru watches the small girl approaching him with a bowl of rice wrapped securely in her left arm while she uses her right hand to grab the rice and push it into her mouth. She stands quite far from him at first and slowly she seems to have the courage to walk closer to the demon lord and starts walking in a circle around the dog demon.

After what feels like 10 minutes of walking the girl bravely steps in front of the Tauyoukai and drops to her knees. She lowers her head to look into his amber eyes before she stretches out the bowl of rice to the dog demon.

Sesshoumaru narrows his eyes confused; is the girl trying to offer him food?

"No thanks." The girl blinks her dark eyes bemused. Instead of telling the girl that he does not eat human food the demon lord decides to answer in the most simplest of ways. Judging by the girl's age he is sure that she won't understand him well.

"I am not hungry." Rin almost bursts out into a laughter at her lord's remarks. She tries to stay silent as she continues observing the duo.

The small girl nods, she brings the bowl back into her arm and continues pushing rice into her mouth without moving away from the Taiyoukai. Suddenly the girl does something that jolts the demon lord as well as Rin.

She sets her bowl of rice on the grass and drops her knees on Sesshoumaru's laps with her head lifted up to see the Taiyoukai's face. She reaches out her left hand and touches the crescent moon mark on the demon lord's forehead as the girl murmurs "Moon! I like moon!"

Rin's eyes widen in astonishment while Sesshoumaru is completely blown by the girl's gesture. He closes his eyes and sighs, thinking why the girl can't just leave him alone. As he re-opens his golden orbs the girl is watching him with her mesmerizing eyes.

For some strange reason, Sesshoumaru seems to adore this cute gaze from the little girl. A thought crosses the western lord's mind, he rests one of his hands at the back of the girl and pushes her closer, he smirks at the thought of Rin and him having a daughter who is much adorable and much braver than this girl.

Rin watches this bizarre scene from afar thinking what could have make her lord smirk and what exactly he has in his mind?

Sesshoumaru pats on the girl's back and speaks slowly. "You should go back or your mother will be worried about you." The girl inclines her head as she turns to pick up her bowl of rice and leave. Out of her clumsiness, the girl's foot collides with a rock and falls flat on the dirty glass.

Rin's eyes widen in concern, but before she's about to run to the little girl's side Sesshoumaru is already at the girl's side. Gently he slips one of his hands around the little girl's chest the demon lord cradles her into his lap while his other hand brushes off the dirt from her kimono.

Rin is in awe at the scene with a blissful smile wearing on her face. She knows her lord has the softer side but in truth she has never seen such an adorable scene like this before. Seriously, when has the Taiyoukai ever shown so much tenderness for a kid?

The little girl is strong; she does not cry and only bites her lower lips. Sesshoumaru is amazed by the girl. She appears to be younger than his pup but she is really strong and it reminds him of young Rin. The demon lord brushes the dirt away from the girl's leg before he pulls her closer into his arms.

"Do you feel pain?" The Taiyoukai inquires with his hand gently rubbing on the girl's knees. She shakes her head as a 'no' and sniffs lightly.

"Good, there's no bleeding and only a small bruise. Now try to stand up." The girl obeys as the dog demon slowly helps her to land her feet on the grass. She's able to stand without support and soon Sesshoumaru releases his hands from the girl entirely.

"Now walk back slowly, remember, no running." She nods without a word. Before the girl turns to leave she slightly tip toes and wraps her arms around the demon lord's neck to presses a kiss on his magenta stripes. The little girl then turns and walks slowly back to the hut leaving the demon lord's golden eyes astonished.

Sesshoumaru watches the little girl make her way back slowly to the village but as the girl passes a tree, he sees Rin standing there with a large smile on her face. The girl waves at the kid as she passes by before making her way up to her lord's side.

"She's really strong and has not even shed a single tear." Rin comments with the smile still wearing on her face. Reaching out an arm and wrapping around the girl's waist, the Taiyoukai pulls her closer to his armored chest.

"Just like you." He whispers softly into the girl's ears which causes her to softly giggle as both of them watch the little girl disappear from their eye sights.

"She's so adorable." Rin praises with her head leaning over her lord's right shoulder while her arms are wrapped around the demon lord's waist.

"Our future daughter will be much sweeter, much adorable and much braver than this girl." The Taiyoukai states in a bit of a playful tone. Rin's face flushes in red, to think that she is going to have another kid with her lord, it is something she never thought would happen again. She lowers her head and remains silent, not knowing what to reply and it does feel a bit awkward to talk about such an intimate thing but she knows that she has to adjust to it.

Sesshoumaru tightens the hold around the timid girl's waist and kisses her forehead. He doesn't need to look down to see her shy face because he can feel the heat on his shoulder and it makes the Taiyoukai smirk contently.

"Come," The dog demon gently taps on his ward's shoulder. "You should go back inside." Rin nods lightly without looking into her lord's eyes, she then takes a step forward and walks away from his arms with Sesshoumaru following suit.

Aito and the village kids are making their way back to the hut under the guard of Ryuuki, as they approach the main entrance of the village, one of the boys in the front shouts in panic and causes everyone to stop in their tracks.

The leopard demon and the young pup make their way to the front to find out the village boy shaking in extreme fear. Ryuuki walks to his side and spots a python before them which looks like it is ready to charge at them anytime. Before he could figure out a way to make the boys escape the python is charging in his direction. Without his sword at his side, the cat demon tries to shield the boys and just at this time a green whip slashes through the snake and cuts it's body in two.

When the snake's lifeless body hits the ground, all the startled kids look at the figure before them, it is the great dog demon Sesshoumaru with Rin stepping out from her lord's back.

"Father!" Aito yells excitedly as he dashes to the Taiyoukai's side. The demon lord picks his pup up into his arms and walks closer to the group.

"Unnecessary interference." Warns the leopard demon.

"Your sluggishness almost brought disaster to my son. You should consider strengthening your skills." Ryuuki sends an annoyed glare at the Taiyoukai with his teeth bared in frustration. Before he can send another verbal retaliation a group of kids' applaud loudly and praise the dog demon's fast reactions.

"Aito, your father is awesome!" The village boys chant the sentences in union and causes the leopard to envy even more but Aito on the other hand beams ecstatically at the praise.

"Come boys we should head back for dinner." Ryuuki commands as he tries to distract the kid's attention by guiding them away.

Sesshoumaru glares in the direction of the leopard demon, Rin can only smile at the two, she thinks that the dog and cat sure don't get along well and if they are under the same roof there will for sure be no peace. The girl chuckles softly as she too heads back to the village with Aito as well as the demon lord tagging along.

The evening meal with a group of humans doesn't feel that bad at all. Sesshoumaru leans under a small tree not far away from the field where his mate to be and his pup are having their dinners.

Rin looks happy; she seems to be occupied in the conversation with the villagers and delighted about it. Sometimes the lady called Tsuyu hugs the girl and another time Akemi taps on her shoulder and they end up with a laugh.

It is definitely a huge relief to see the villagers finally accepting Rin, the girl has done nothing to be despised by her own kind. If this is due the fact she has mated with a demon then this will truly upset the Taiyoukai, for all his life he would do everything to make sure his ward stays happy, in the end he was the one who sent her to a miserable life.

Sesshoumaru shifts his golden gaze to another group where Aito is and sees the boy busy running around the villagers bragging about the incident earlier with the python and how powerful his father is. The demon lord smirks when the group of boys widen their eyes and clap their hands excitedly with what they are hearing.

On the other hand, the other villagers too are overwhelmed by Aito's story especially when the pup explains about the confrontation in the forest with the lion demon. But for sure all these compliments are against the leopard demon, he has heard enough and decides to leave the group and make his way towards Tsuyu's side.

Ryuuki fits into the group of ladies well with all his chatty mood but everyone knows this cat demon is trying to gain attention from the beautiful Rin. As long as he is able to make the girl smile he will be more than happy. Tsuyu shakes her head sadly at her adopted son, he is a great man but the girl belongs to someone else unfortunately.

An hour passes by and most of the groups start to retire, some are taking their children back for rest while a few men seem to be engaged in their night activities. Shinobu walks over to the group of kids and sits with them, 2 kids run into his arms as he embraces them with a kiss on their foreheads.

The ladies start to clean up the place, Rin is about to stand up but a few children run past her side which makes her almost lose her balance. Ryuuki instantly supports the girl's back to prevent her from falling. Sesshoumaru glares in their direction; Rin regains her balance and steps away from the leopard's arms and bows thankfully before she speeds to the group of kids.

Two golden eyes meet as both stare furiously at each other until a man taps on the cat demon's shoulder and guides him away from the field. It is at this time the demon lord feels someone is tugging on his hakama.

The Taiyoukai turns to see the same little girl he met earlier smiling at him with her arms clutching a small pillow. He reaches out one of his hands and gently strokes on the girl's head. A strange but comfortable feeling builds around them and unknowingly his lips curl into a small smile which delights the small girl.

"Moon smile!" She beams happily. As much as the girl's statement makes no sense, the western lord knows the meaning. Honestly he has never smiled to anyone and only rarely does it in front of Rin, but he has to admit that this little girl does bring some sort of blissful feeling inside him.

"Going to sleep?" He asks coolly but with a much softer voice. The little girl nods with another delightful smile.

"Good night!" She steps on the Taiyoukai's laps and tip toes to press her lips on the demon lord's cheek. She then trails off and runs away but stops short to wave at the demon lord before she returns to her parent's awaiting arms.

When the girl disappears he can hear some soft chuckles in the back and he turns to find Rin and Aito giggling at each other.

"That was so sweet right, Aito?" The boy readily agrees nodding his head as he runs to his father's side with the girl following suit.

"Is your bed time too son." Sesshoumaru states but the boy doesn't seem too pleased with the idea. His gaze drops on his father's armored chest with his lower lip pushed upwards to show his reluctance to follow the order.

Rin steps up by the boy's side and cradles him into her arms. She knows her son has something in mind and it is revealed all over his cute face.

"You don't want to sleep yet, right?" The boy bits his lower lips, head down with his sunset eyes fixed on his intertwined fingers. He then nods a little, a very faint nod, almost like he is reluctant.

"You want to play with boys a little longer?" Aito raises his eyebrows and slightly peeps at his mother's face with his lips curled into a very small smile which is almost unnoticeable but Rin never fails to spot these expressions from her son.

"But they should have headed back to bed too right?" Rin inquires perplexed. Aito cocks his head up to say something but is interrupted by a lady's voice.

"They will head to Shinobu's hut for a story telling session." Tsuyu replies as she paces closer and settles at Rin's side. Aito on the other hand is extremely delighted with the lady's answer as he finds his arms around his mother's neck sending her a pouting look. _What a cute pup._ Rin thinks with a smile.

"Please mother, I want to hear what story Master Ryuuki has to share. The other boys said it was a real story." The kid continues pleading with his arms tightening around the girl's neck. Tsuyu smiles at the boy's childishness with the demon lord showing no interest at what he is hearing.

Rin doesn't answer right away, by her heart's desire she wants Aito to join the villagers but she did not get a good sleep last night due to that nightmare and wishes to take an early rest but if her son is to stay awake then she has to take care of him.

Sesshoumaru notices the girl's struggle to make the decision; he rises from the sitting position and pats on his pup's shoulder.

"Let's go." The demon lord walks away but Aito doesn't follow, he eyes his father with a rather bewildered face. Tsuyu and Rin have the same expressions too.

The Taiyoukai stops upon realizing the boy hasn't followed. He looks over his shoulder at the group. "Don't you want to hear the story from the cat?"

Aito snaps up to the realization and beams excitedly. He kisses his mother's cheeks and bids her good night before dashing to the dog demon's side. Both of them disappear off into the distance leaving the two ladies behind.

Rin sighs in relief and is thankful that her lord watches over Aito even though the demon lord dislikes Ryuuki. She just hopes that nothing will happen between the two, she can't help but let out a small chuckle at the thought of the dog and the cat demons.

"He is a good man." Tsuyu's voice catches the girl's attention; she turns to face the old lady and nods with a weak smile.

Rin stares in the direction the demon lord and her son disappeared. _Indeed, Lord Sesshoumaru is a good man. _A bitter sweet smile graces her lips.

After parting with Tsuyu, Rin makes her way to a hut. As she reaches, she stops and glances the outside of this very memorable hut. She reaches out one of her hands, she carefully traces the shoji door and slowly parts it and makes her way into the room.

This hut was once shared between Tsuyu, Rin and Akemi while Shinobu and his family stayed in the next hut close to this one. There are 2 small rooms in this hut; Rin walks into the second one which was once her room shared with Akemi.

Memories fill her mind as the girl enters the room. She glances around and notices not many changes ever since she left this room.

Rin makes her way to the small table located at the center of the room and kneels by the side. She unties her obi and takes off her outer kimono before she folds it and sets it on top of the table.

A large futon is set at the corner of the room with 2 pillows and a blanket ready on it. Rin was told by Tsuyu that this hut will be reserved to her family for tonight as the lady and Akemi will be with the kids at another hut.

The girl sets her slippers aside and crawls on the comfortable futon. She lays flat on it and pulls the blanket up to her shoulders. Her heavy hazelnut eyes gaze at the roof of the room with her lips curling into a small blissful smile.

"Good night my lord." She whispers softly before sleep overtakes her entirely.

A few hours pass, half of the village have retired for the day but there are certain groups still active at this hour. Some men are spotted having fun with their sake enjoying their chatter, some younger women gossiping in lower tones but laughing out loud. And last but not the least a large group of kids staying out door in the empty field to listen to the leopard demon telling a story.

Sesshoumaru leaves Aito under the care of Tsuyu as the boy is still reluctant to call it a day. The demon lord has no choice but to entrust his pup under the lady's care as he wishes to check on his ward.

After passing several huts the Taiyoukai finds out the hut where Rin is resting, her scent lingers around the place and that is confirmation for him that he has reached the right hut.

As he enters the hut, an uncomfortable scent disturbs the dog demon's sensitive nose. Panic and fear slices through the atmosphere and it is coming out from one of the closed rooms inside the hut.

Sesshoumaru instantly access the room and captures an uneasy expression wearing on the girl's face. Her eyes tightly shut still and that indicates the girl is not awake and is infact having a nightmare. A few drops of sweat are visible on both sides of her face with her mouth muttering something.

The concerned Tauyoukai makes his way to the futon and kneels at the side of the girl.

"No, Lord Sesshoumaru ... Aito ... please listen to me..." These words escape from the poor girl's mouth as she constantly shakes her head from left to right with sweat continuing to drip.

Puzzled Sesshoumaru's brows drop, what can possibly be persistently haunting the girl recently? He wants to wake his ward but curiosity stops him from doing so. Perhaps by listening to her words he will be able figure out something about her dreams.

Rin rolls to her side and faces Sesshoumaru now with a rather agonizing expression wearing on her face. She looks to be in anguish struggling to reach out for some help. When a small bead of tear is visible at the corner of the mind-disturb girl, the Taiyoukai's hands clench into tight fists as he watches helplessly at the poor girl. He has vowed to never let the girl weep again but what power does he have to protect her in a dream?

Gently reaching out his hand, his claw finger brushes the tears away from the girl's pale cheek with his other free hand resting firmly at the side of her shoulder. He can't do anything now except to hope she can feel his presence and that will at least comfort her in her torturing nightmare.

After a few minutes of careful observation, Rin stops struggling; her expression returns to normal with her breathing becoming lighter and calm. The girl is once again slumbering peacefully.

Sesshoumaru moves to the table, setting his armor and swords on it before settling himself on the futon and lies next to Rin with his feet bared, carefully cradling the girl into his protective arms.

Another half an hour passes and the uneasy scent has returned, Rin reaches out one of her hands and seems to be looking to grasp onto something as she screams at the top of her lungs.

"NOOOOOOO!"

The girl shoots her eyes wide open in extreme fear, breathing heavily and sweat rolling down the sides of her face. She instantly gets into a sitting position and turns around to search for something but her hazelnut eyes lay sight on a familiar figure sitting close by her side, it is none other than her beloved Lord Sesshoumaru. The girl sighs in extreme relief but the demon lord's anxious amber eyes gaze at the girl's behavior with a questioning look.

Rin manages a smile, to ensure she is fine but her large hazelnut eyes betray that. Sesshoumaru sees agony and dejection in her eyes and it makes his usual aloof expression alter.

"Lo-rd Sess-houmaru, how long have you been here?" Her shaky voice makes her sentence come out unclear.

The western lord stretches out his left arm to circle around the girl's waist and pull her closer to his armor-less chest.

"About an hour ago" His voice soften as if he sounds tired.

Rin scans around the room and fails to spot her son. "Where's Aito?" She asks curiously.

"He will be with other kids tonight and rest in another hut. The lady promises to look after him." He cocks his head to the side to kiss the girl's forehead as she nods weakly.

"He is such an active pup." Rin chuckles softly and it amazes the Taiyoukai. It is not her sweet chuckle that impresses this great dog demon, but it is how she still manages a smile in this moment that blows the western lord.

He begins to wonder, is Rin generally strong or could it be the hardships that she has gone through in these past 4 years that made her grow stronger?

Sesshoumaru stokes the girl's back to comfort her; Rin closes her eyes to feel the comforting touch from her lord. Her bandaged palms find their way and rest on top of the demon lord's abdomen.

The Taiyoukai settles his right hand on top of the girl's and gently brushes her knuckles. The wounds on the poor girl's palm have at least shown some improvement after a week of careful tender. His saliva has managed to reduce the pain in general but unfortunately the cut flesh still needs time to heal.

Although the girl confesses the pain from the cut is nothing compared to the time she delivered his pup, for a mere human to resist such strong physical suffering is truly overwhelming for the demon lord.

"Rin,"

"Yes?" They remain in the same position.

"What is haunting you in the dream? You seem to have restless nights recently." The Taiyoukai states coolly. No answer from the girl, instead her hands slowly turn into loose fists, the demon lord is able to sense the girl's evolving uneasiness.

"Something related to what happened five years ago?" He asks seriously, emphasizing his words with the hold around her waist tightened.

"NO!" The girl trails off from her lord as the word quickly escapes from her mouth and her reaction has just confirmed the Taiyoukai's assumption.

"I mean the nightmare was mostly related to me being in danger and I was seeking for help." Her lips curl into a small smile.

For some reason, the dog demon knows his mate to be is lying. He sighs uncharacteristically.

_Is growing stronger something good?_ Sesshoumaru ponders as the memory of young Rin flashes in his mind. Those days, she would cry when she's sad or in pain, she would laugh when she's happy and certainly would tell him when something was bothering her. Right now, Rin is hiding her emotions and often not being honest.

The Taiyoukai has never failed to read anyone but when it comes to someone that means so dearly to him, he seems to have no clue.

Rin lifts her head up at her lord. Something ails the demon lord and she is the reason behind it. Ever since she decided to travel, the strange dream keeps haunting her, with each time the vision is getting clearer. _Could this be a message from...?_ She shuts her eyes tightly trying to discard the unwanted thought.

_Do I deserve to own this happiness? _The very same question has kept dwelling in her mind for the past few years.

Rin slightly trails off and allows a small room between her and the demon lord. Her hands slip away from the Taiyoukai's abdomen and presses firmly on her lap.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, can you promise me one thing?" She inquires carefully. Sesshoumaru shift his gaze to the girl's side.

"What it is?" He answers cautiously. The dog demon has learned not to agree before knowing the request since the girl may once again come up with ridiculous ideas. He wants to make sure than to brake his promise later.

"One day, I mean in case if there is one day that – that you might accidentally get to know about..." She pauses unable to find the right words to complete her sentence and before she makes another attempt Sesshoumaru interrupts.

"Do you mean to say if one day I get to know about the person who drove you away?" Emphasizing his words firmly the girl inclines without a word after a long thought.

"Whoever is involved in this should receive the punishment equally for what they have put you through." The demon lord's voice rises and he growls infuriately with his ambers shot bloodied red in fury, swearing he will end the miserable lives of those who are involved.

_No!_ Rin screams in her heard. There is no way she would want her lord to punish this person, how could she? They both are related and slashing that person would equally kill his own blood.

The girl takes in a deep breath and exhales. She leans closer to the demon lord and slips her right arm and wraps around her lord's left arm with their fingers intertwined.

"You know, to be able to stay this close to Lord Sesshoumaru, it is truly my fortune. When you embrace me I know that am safe and I can spend my life just to live this dream." A sweet blissful smile graces her face as the girl lays her head on the Taiyoukai's shoulder.

"I feel so grateful that Aito and I are under your care, that the three of us will do everything together. To have Lord Sesshoumaru with us is enough, anything else is not important." Rin tightly crosses her fingers with her lord's as she lays her head on the demon lord's shoulder with a content smile wearing on her face.

Sesshoumaru lowers his gaze at the girl; he picks up the real message behind her statement and knows she is defending that particular person. Although he has no idea as to why the girl has to struggle to spare the life of this unknown person, the points she has highlighted are true.

They have finally reunited and that's all the matters, in-fact the Taiyoukai realizes he should be more concerned of what he has before him now than to seek vengeance.

"Tell me Rin, what will you do if you ever have a chance to meet up with this person again in the near future?" Rin is stunned by the question, she has no idea of how to face this lady in-fact this is what she has been fearing for long. Her nightmares are not just a dream, they are more like warnings about things that would happen one day.

_What will I do? I don't know..._ The girl does not realize she is trembling until the demon lord's hand comes to her face with his fingers caressing the side of her face.

"You shouldn't be fearful of facing this person when am here." Sesshoumaru guides the girl's chin to look up at him. Rin manages a weak smile.

"Promise me Rin," The girl blinks her eyes curiously.

"Never ever leave my side. Always come to me no matter what happens and who threatens you." Sesshomaru's voice is firm yet comforting.

_Even if this person is your...?_ Rin thinks but quickly discards the doubt away.

Sesshoumaru's amber gaze softens as he meets with the hazelnut gaze that is filled with dubiousness.

"Don't ever let me find you gone again Rin, because," The demon lord lays his forehead on the girl's before he continues, "That would bring a tear to me."

Rin's brows furrow in disconsolation, the possessiveness her lord has over her is clearly audible in his voice. She would never want to break his heart again.

The girl trails off softly, looking up at her lord and gently cup his cheek; she inclines her head with a smile dancing at her lips. "Yes, I promise you that."

Sesshoumaru returns a small relieved smile, he wonders if the girl knows just how much that simple gesture of affection touched him.

The Taiyoukai then adjusts his position to be now fully facing the girl. The dim light from the candle perfectly shines on his ward revealing the sheerness of the inner garment that Rin is wearing now.

The light from the candle maybe weak but it is good enough to reveal the sight of the girl's smooth creamy skin underneath the thin garment and the demon lord is definitely pleased by the sight before him.

His amber eyes roams from the girl's pale cheek to her inviting neck, then his gaze falls to the size of her chest as it lands on her voluptuous figure. _Rin oh Rin. _She looks stunning, her body has matured a lot and the view before him now tells just how much the girl has grown in the past 4 years.

To say that he has not thinking about running his claw finger on the girl's smooth bare skin would be a lie. He wants so badly to convey just how much he has missed his precious ward by his touch and to love the girl again and again to ensure her she is safe with him and no one would take her away from the dog demon's side.

But what has stopped the Western lord? _Aito._ The fact that the environment that the duo live in isn't set up for a convenient time for the demon lord to express his love. With the simple hut set without a room and the toad that tags along certainly not an ideal place to have privacy.

But right now, the Taiyoukai knows that he has the privacy that he longed for.

Rin observes her lord intensely; he seems to be in deep thought but when she's about to speak the Taiyoukai stretches out one of his hands and brushes at the side of her cheek.

"I was born to chase supreme power that would allow me to surpasses my father and become the greatest Taiyoukai of the Western lands." His hand trails slowly from her cheek to the nape of her neck. Rin startled at the sudden change of topic but remains silent.

"He became a legend for a mortal and that's what I call as weakness. He leaves me nothing but a sword that I once called a useless fang, Tenseiga." The girl narrows her brows despondently at the memories of the dog demon who made many attempts to wield the Tessaiga, one of his father's heirloom.

Sesshoumaru raises both of his hands and stares at them. "With these hands I vowed to seek more power and kill plenty of life. Be it a well deserved one or an innocent."

Rin places her hands on the demon lord's and squeezes them a little. "No, my lord will never kill for no reason. I am certain!" Her gloomy gaze meets with rather softened amber eyes and she rewards the Taiyoukai a convincing smile.

"I was named for killing perfection and these hands were meant to kill until our unusual encounter." The girl smiles sweetly at the beautiful memory of how she found the demon lord in the forest.

"You are the first mortal that I saved and from that day onwards you seem to have the strange power to purify my hands, I killed less and started to save life." He entwined his fingers with hers.

"You give me strength, hope and someone to hold, to love. I never thought I was capable of love nor even dream to hold my own heir with these hands. You are such a miracle Rin, sometimes; I don't feel that I'm good enough to deserve you." Rin widens her eyes in extreme shock and those words from her lord hurt her so dearly.

"No my lord, it is I who does not deserve you." Rin says softly while she lowers her gaze on her laps. "I-I ..." Sesshoumaru forbids the girl to go on as he speaks.

"Rin,"

"Yes?" She tilts her head up and looks into her lord's warm golden eyes.

"Would you mind to take these hands," The Taiyoukai raises both of his hands a little higher above the girl's lap before continuing.

"These hands that were once awash with blood of many lives, to purify it with your love and affection?" She narrows her eyes in pain. _Where do I have such power? I am only his weakness. _

"Take my hands Rin, touch my heart, and be sure that you will always by my side for day and night." Her brows drop in agony.

"My lord ..." A claw finger reaches to touch over Rin's lips preventing any further speech.

"Would you hold me close through whatever lies in front of us, to share the laughter and the tears together?" Sesshomaru's comforting voice warms the girl's heart.

Rin's hazelnut eyes glasses over with unshed tears.

"I will." Her voice is barely audible due to the fact that it is taking all of her concentration to remain focused. She holds the Taiyoukai's hands and brings them close to her chest.

"I will always be with you, hand in hand. I may not have forever but I will be with you for as long as my life allows me to live with Lord Sesshoumaru." She softly echoes it with a bitter sweet smile. Little tears of joy are visible on the girl's cheeks.

Sesshoumaru finds himself returning equally the same smile which he would only do in front of the girl. Rin chuckles softly.

"You look amazing with the smile my lord." She continues chuckling playfully.

This time the demon lord smirks. "This is only for my lovely mate." The girl looks away bashfully.

The demon lord presses his hands on the girl's shoulders to make her look straight at his face. Hazelnut eyes drown into the warm golden gaze.

"Rin, be my mate, be the mother of our future pups and share my life span." The girl struggles to keep herself composed by the sudden proposal. She arches her brows with her mouth slightly parted in shock mixed with excitement.

Rin always wanted a family of her own, especially with her lord. But after plenty of hardships she has encountered in the process of building this family of the dog, the girl has almost lost the dim of light of hope to have a future with her beloved Lord Sesshoumaru.

This is definitely not a dream, the proposal is so real, and she can hear Sesshoumaru's words clearly and still echoing in her ears. All the nightmares she had before have vanished for all she can feel now is extreme joy, bliss and satisfaction.

"But I am a human; I will disgrace your bloodline." Her lips trembles a little, still recovering from the previous shock.

"Never." His answer is short but content.

"I will weaken you." She presses further.

"Your tears are my strength, and your love is my honor. Protecting you leads me to become stronger. You never weaken but you strengthen my power." This is it, he is answer for all her doubts, and the girl has no reason to turn down the proposal. She loves him sincerely and here he returns her undivided love.

"Yes." Tears of happiness stream down uncontrollably. She inclines her head desperately and throws her arms around the Taiyouki's neck.

No other word can be sweeter than this 'yes', Sesshoumaru finds himself sighing in extreme relief. Tonight, Rin will be his mate and no bond would be stronger than the mating bond, which he vows to mark the girl before dawn.

Holding her securely, neither speak, merely reveling in this short moment of contentment. The demon lord strokes along the girl's back with his hands and this small gesture of affection is enough to relax her as she seemingly just melts in his arms while the dog demon lets his hand move up to gently stroke her hair.

"Rin." she trails off softly and looks up at the Taiyoukai with her mesmerizing hazelnut eyes.

Sesshoumaru gently guides her chin up and with the soft pad of his thumb, he runs it lightly across her upper lip then lower. Then, he closes the distance between them till their lips touch. He brushes her's languidly for a moment, enjoying the sound of her raised pulse and then, firmly seales it with a soft kiss.

She responds timidly at first but when the dog demon drives his tongue deep into her mouth their kiss becomes rougher and more passionate.

Rin can feel her lord smirk against her lips; he is holding her to him by the back of her head. Her lord kisses her as though he means to devour her, yet, there is no fear.

After what seems like forever, he releases her mouth allowing the girl to catch some air to breathe. Sesshoumaru's hand strays to the girl's lower back, pushing her towards him and pulling her along with him, guiding her to straddle his lap with her inner thighs pressing against his outer ones.

Slowly he lifts the skirt of her thin inner garment high up almost to her waist level. He then runs his hands deliciously up her left thigh before resting on the side of her hip. Rin's eyelids flutter close at this sudden wave of extreme teasing of her smooth skin. A small whimper escapes her mouth and it pleases the Taiyoukai.

Rin starts to weaken under Sesshoumaru gentle touch as she feels hazy. She can feel her lord's arms circling around her body, preventing her from falling because at this stage she is too weak to hold herself correctly.

Rin's head drops onto her lord's broad shoulder on top of the mokomoko, his fluff is tickling her. As the girl is so lost in her own world a soft voice brings her back to reality.

"Rin," The demon lord purrs softly into the girl's ear.

"Y-yes?" She replies absentmindedly.

"I want you…" His eyes glow molten gold, drowning in desire. Rin's face flushes red, the demon lord can feel the heat on his shoulder.

Sesshoumaru glares at the sheer inner garment which is the only thing that shields from his inviting gaze. He slips his hands all the way from her neck down to the bow of the garment. The demon lord can feel the girl hold her breath while he loosens the bow and pulls the sheer gown away, leaving her upper body exposed before the Taiyoukai.

He lays the girl down on futon with an arm at the back and the other at the back of her neck to ensure she lands safely on the pillow.

Rin's face is still flushing as red as a cherry as the demon lord begins kissing a passage down starting from her chin, then to her collarbone, slowing down every inch of her smooth fresh skin that lies bare before him. The girl's body naturally arches up to meet his needs.

Sesshoumaru pauses as he begins to part his clothed folds and sets his kimono aside. The girl watches the Taiyoakai pull on the ties of his hakama and slip it down to reveal his masculine appendage, his bulge erection exposed to her bare eyes.

The demon lord's hands glide down to the undersides of her breasts, teasing and reveling in the sensitive skin in that part of the body. The girl is so delicate, he muses, as he acquaints himself with her skin in long, slow strokes. He lets his hand drift until his fingertips ghosts over the tops of her breasts, and she moves restlessly beneath him.

He then moves to cup her full globes, exploring it, feeling their weight and the roundness with his palms. His fingers narrows at her rosy buds, rolling them till they stand up with pride.

Rin arches her back with a small moan as her lord takes her swelling breasts in his open mouth, nibbling, suckling, tasting the pink tips as she continues arching towards him as though wishing for more.

Sesshoumaru breaks away momentarily, allowing Rin to adjust herself to this sensation, not wanting her to grow tired out of exhaustion due to her weak body. Their eyes meet as the Taiyoukai stares at the girl's flushed face with a small smirk.

"My Rin, you're beautiful." He leans forward and kisses the bashful girl with his tongue diving into her mouth claiming her inner caverns, the girl's lips part with a mute moan.

Rin's slender legs part slightly as it allows him to settle in between them as one of the demon lord's hands travels down to her heat and slides one of his fingers into her wet folds. Her eyes bulge and she gives out a moan as his fingers rub her entrance.

Sesshoumaru can feels his digit being hotly wrapped and sucked in he pushes it in and out of her readily dripping folds.

Rin unknowingly spreads her legs wider and wraps around the Taiyoukai's pelvis firmly. The dog demon takes this opportunity to position himself in between her thighs and moves his tip to her ready entrance.

Steadily he pushes himself into her, feeling every bit of resistance from her tight inner walls until his bulging member gets completely buried into her warm folds. His pace is slow at first, enjoying the feeling of her tight inner walls rubbing against the entire length of his bulge as much as the soft cries from his Rin pressing securely under him.

Rin arches her back again and again as she unknowingly presses herself towards the demon lord as if to ask for more, her slender legs wrap even tighter around the Taiyoukai waist now.

She moans softly but it is encouraging the western lord to increase the pace to please his mate even more.

Sesshoumaru holds Rin's legs in place, his strokes hastening as the arousal between them heightens. The girl groans as she chants her lord's name again and again with a pleasured voice as the man above her loves her again and again. As both of them almost reach the summits of their climax, with the girl's hands gripping tightly on the futon sheet; Sesshoumaru releases a large load of his warm seeds into his mate's awaiting womb.

As the girl is still panting heavily trying to get her equilibrium back., the Taiyoukai leans forward, with arms on both sides of her head, settling his head at the side of her inviting neck, he buries his sharp teeth into the girl's flesh a little higher from her shoulder.

Another high pitched soft moan escapes from the girl's mouth as the demon lord completes his marking and claims his precious Rin as his life mate.

"I love you my lady." Sesshoumaru whispers huskily as he kisses the girl's ear lobe.

The Taiyoukai then rolls over, collapsing on the futon as he pulls his mate closer to his chest and holds her in his arms tenderly.

Rin tilts her head up a little struggling to keep her eyes open as she rewards her beloved husband with a delightful smile.

"I love you too, my lo-love..." Sesshoumaru smiles down at his exhausted mate as he waits till the girl closes her eyes before placing a loving kiss on her forehead and whispers

"Mine, forever."

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**Chapter end notes:  
**

What do you think of this chapter? Does it turn out sad or relaxing? Do you like the family moment? What about the intimate scenes?

Let me know what you all think of it so far. We have almost come to the end. Few more to go to sort out with the lady and then we are done.

Thank you so much to everyone who has taken their time to review my story, to put this under their alert list and favorite list. Always remember, without your support I wouldn't make it till today. Love you guys *hugges*

On a side note, Lily of the Valley will be featured in Vietnamese and Lilyflower will translate it for me in her forum. Thank you so much dear and I really appreciate it. *hugs*

If anyone wants to read it in the Vietnamese version drop me a message and I shall share the link (n_n)

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**Anonymous review reply:  
**

**Dear Jolie: **

Good guess about the lady dear but stay tuned to find out, she will be here with us in the next chapter :-) Thank you for the anniversary wish dear, it means a lot to me. LOL sorry to have make Aito bully Jaken too much but he loves the toad and yes you got it right! He should learn to shut his mouth sometimes LOL I am truly happy you love the Jaken/Aito moment :-) I am sorry for the delay :-( Please forgive me.

**Dear Doodle Bug: **

Thank you for your review dear, OH NO don't whip me, beta won't be happy LOL XD *chuckles* Thank you so much for your wonderful review and the anniversary wishes. Sorry about missing the deadline. Please forgive me :-(

**Dear Sesshylover: **

Thank you for your review dear and yes I always picture Sesshoumaru and Rin in a family. I think Sesshoumaru is capable of loving and he deserves to be loved. So I love to write about his softer side for Rin. LOL I am glad that you love the Jaken/Aito moment, well the pup just feel s lonely, he just feels happy to have company. Jaken should be happy to be his master's son best buddy right? hehe Thanks, there won't be much left for this story, few more to go I hope.

Awww thanks for your compliment, my English usage is bad and am nowhere close to being a good writer or writing books. Your compliments will empower me to write more. Sorry for the delay dear, please forgive me :-(


	23. Mystery Lady

**Chapter notes:**

"_I always knew looking back on the tears would make me laugh,_

_But I never knew looking back on the laughs would make me cry."_

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**Author notes:**

Hello readers! *hiding behind the monitor* I know I know ... It has been 4months 5 days since my last update on 22nd of August. I am so sorry guys, life has been tough for my beta and I.

First of all congratulation for Mr beta who has completed his graduation for his masters degree. *applause*

Secondly, on the 12th of November, there was a poll for Best Rin/Sesshomaru Fiction running at h t t p : / / bornforeachother. blogspot. Com. 'Lily of the Valley' was one of the stories nominated and won the award with 31 votes. Thank you so much to everyone who has voted me (^_^) this is such a wonderful Christmas gift for me. You can visit the site for more polls that are available weekly.

Last but not least, thank you for staying with me, Beta and I will **do** our best to complete this as soon as we can. Without further delay, here I present you chapter 23- Mystery lady

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The Lily of the Valley signifies **"**_**The Return of Happiness"**_

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**Disclaimer: **The depictions of the characters in this story are completely fictitious. In no way does this represent the views or the story arcs as envisaged by the original copyright owners of this franchise and its characters. The ownership if the characters and the original concept are sole properties of _**Rumiko Takahashi.**_

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**Chapter 22 – Mystery Lady**

Aito jerks up from a light kick he feels to his left face. He tries to sit up but feels something heavy lying on his stomach. Lowering his golden half awake gaze, he finds Sato; one of the village boys has his right leg resting comfortably on Aito.

Slowly without waking the boy, Aito lifts Sato's leg up and shifts it aside. Once successful, he quickly moves a little backward, allowing a small space to form between them before he takes an opportunity to stand up.

Stretching his arms high up Aito inhales the fresh breeze of the morning before turning on his back to scan the surroundings.

The head man of the village Shinobu, lies at the side of the main door with his daughter wrapped warmly underneath him while the rest of the village kids sleep in a rather unorganized position.

Seeing that everyone has their legs on each other, Aito chuckles softly recalling how everyone crashed on the floor mat after the long story telling session with the cat demon. It was a good thrilling story and he truly enjoyed it. The boy giggles contently; joy fills his heart as this is the first time he was asleep without his mother. And not to mention he has never spent time over night with other kids before.

Noticing that Ryuuki is not present, the boy steps carefully and makes his way to the entrance quietly. Slowly pushing the shoji door apart, he skips on the grass and closes the door behind him carefully. Once done, he runs happily in the direction of the scent that his nostrils are picking up.

On the other side of the village a strong mating scent lingers around this small hut that belongs to Tsuyu. A weak ray of sunlight hits through the small closed window that is located at the center of the room and shines on the two love birds.

Sesshoumaru parts his golden eyes, morning has replaced dawn and the room is brightened up slowly by the rising sun. The chirping from the birds and the roosters' crowing can be heard. Soon the humans will be awake, starting their daily routine. But his Rin is never going to work on those daily routines anymore. She will be the lady of the west, served by maids with all her necessities being taken care off.

The dog demon lowers his face to the side where his precious girl slumbers peacefully. Watching his mate's serene sleeping face, his left arm still wraps securely around her bare waist under the blanket.

Rin hasn't been stirred much after the exhaustion from last night's mating sending her into a deep sleep. She looks beautiful, innocent but rather tired. Sesshoumaru can feel that the girl has grown weaker and no doubt he strongly believes that this has to be related to her first labor.

Considering her poor life style, the shortage of food supply has significantly drained her health. He has to ensure the girl's condition improves gradually before they even plan to have their next children for she might not be able to cope with the next pregnancy.

The Taiyouaki inches closer and presses his lips on the girl's forehead before burying his nose on top of her head. He inhales with a satisfying smirk, taking the sweet scent of her that has now blended well with his own scent.

_Mine_ he whispers proudly, his lips inch towards a small victorious content smile. The high and low journey of searching Rin in the past four years is finally paying off. Nothing can be worth the girl's life. His once foolish hesitation to mark the girl has dissolved, doubt no longer exists.

Sesshoumaru reaches out with his right hand and brushes the girl's cheek. He then brushes all the way down from the girl's shoulder to her stomach that is covered by the thin blanket. Rubbing her belly tenderly and lovingly, the Taiyoukai rests his large pale hand on his mate's stomach and imagines how the girl would look like with a swollen belly. With Aito having turned four now, the idea of extending his family size is deeply encouraging.

For a moment he finds himself remembering a small girl he met yesterday. Her generosity of offering him a bowl of rice reminds him of young Rin who showed no fear of this great dog demon. Both are innocent and adorable but the only difference between them is Rin was in much poorer conditions compared to the little girl.

One corner of the western lord's lips curves upwards at the thought of having his own baby girl, a daughter that inherits her mother's braveness, beauty and kind heartedness.

The smirk broadens into an unusual smile; Sesshoumaru has never had a reason to smile. He always knew that looking at the defeated enemies crying would make him laugh, but he never knew looking at this innocent girl's face would make him smile.

He moves one stripped hand brushing over the girl's chin all the way down until it reaches her collar bone. His long clawed fingers crawling over her soft creamy skin, reaches out at the fresh mark he bit on her bared neck last night, a mark that will seal their fate forever.

_Forever?_ Sesshoumaru ponders bitterly, as his breathing gets harder he can feel his heart getting heavier. What is the significance behind this mark other than to ensure she is his?

This reminds the western lord gravely that his Rin doesn't have eternity. A mating mark should have the power of connecting a demon and its demon mate but does this power apply to a human mate? Will this mark that seals their fate be able to have the power of sharing Sesshoumaru's life span with Rin?

While not even his father could prove this piece of information, he has no reference or any source that he can inquire about this matter. Perhaps only time will tell, but for how long he has to wait? Can he afford to let time answer this riddle while time is everything for the fragile girl? He can't afford to but what more can this great dog demon do instead of waiting?

Sesshoumaru, the fearless great dog demon finds himself battling with the life and death issue of his mate. The thought of Rin leaving his side either by sickness or through aging, makes him tighten the hold around the girl's waist.

Gaining compassion might make him stronger but to see this precious girl walk away from his life could be the greatest downfall for the demon lord.

The tight grip on the girl's waist results in a small stir in her. Rin's eyes twitch and slowly she tries to part her heavy eyelids. After few attempts, her hazelnut eyes reveal a silver white haired demon who seems to be in deep thought. Her gaze fixes on her lord, once again she has caught him off guard.

For some reason the girl just loves to see the demon lord's mind occupied. Admiring the magenta stripes standing out proudly on his pale cheeks a timid smile curls on her lips. Wondering what could be occupying her husband's mind; Rin feels the heat from her blush.

_Husband?_ The blush deepens; she would never have imagined calling her savior as 'husband'. She then lowers her gaze down with her face heated even more at the sight of her naked form but the heat turns unbearable as soon as her sight sets on the demon lord, he's too in the same form.

_The mating..._ Rin bites her lower lip with a bashful smile at the memory of what happened last night. Slowly tilting her head up to the Taiyoukai, the girl moves her left arm up and reaches out with her fingers to brush on her mate's cheek.

Sesshoumaru is back to the present by the soft touches on his face. He moves his right hand to catch the girl's and looks down to see her smiling blissfully. That beautiful smile instantly shatters everything that has been troubling him awhile ago.

"Good morning my lord." She greets with her cheeks still tinted with redness. The demon lord lowers his head to catch the girl's lips for a passionate kiss. As they finally break away, Rin cups her mate's face with both of her hands.

"What ails you my lord?" Her soft concerned voice startles the Taiyoukai. Looking into her warm hazelnut orbs, he wonders how long the girl has been observing him.

"It's nothing Rin." He lies while combing the girl's long dark tresses. The answer saddens the girl, but she knows the best to not press further.

She removes her hand away from the dog demon's cheek and nods without a word. Somehow she knows that there has to be something plaguing her lord but knowing the Taiyoukai, he would tell if he wishes to share.

Rin turns away with her back now laying flat on the mattress. She is quite upset, even though Sesshoumaru used to keep everything to himself, being his mate and not be able to read his troubled mind is truly disappointing. This is certainly not a good beginning as the official mate of the Taiyoukai.

The girl sighs, pulling the blanket up to her shoulder line. She stills feel a little awkward at this moment, waking up with her lord at her side and staying naked. Even though this is not their first mating, it still feels rather gawky for she has no experience with after mating.

When she feels a finger caressing on her right cheek, the girl cocks her head to the side to face the dog demon.

"Did I wake you up?" He inquires softly. Rin shakes her head lightly as 'no' with a small smile.

"It's still early Rin, go back to sleep." He orders but the girl declines it with another small shake of her head.

"I am not sleepy my lord besides I wish to check on Aito. He has never left my side since birth so I am worried about him." The Taiyoukai sits up upon hearing his mate's concern.

"Very well then let's go and to get the pup." He sits up, grabs his hakama and rises to put it on.

With one of her elbows pressing on the mattress for support, Rin gets up to a sitting position with her other free hand holding the edge of the blanket up to her chest. She then reaches out for her undergarment to wrap around her body and finish it with a simple obi tied around her waist.

Once done Rin turns to her back to see that Sesshoumaru already has his undergarment on. At this moment an idea crosses her mind, she quickly walks to the side of the demon lord and picks up his kimono.

Feeling a presence on his back the Taiyoukai glances over his shoulder to see the girl widen her arms with his kimono on her hands. Rin smiles while the western lord is eyeing her in bewilderment.

"Errrm my lord you need to stretch your arms one at a time so I can put this on." She instructs softly, almost turning out like a whisper. The demon lord lifts an eyebrow but follows as she said.

Rin almost chuckles at her lord's expression. She gently taps on one of his arms signaling him to stretch his arm out. Sesshoumaru follows as the girl pulls the kimono sleeve all the way up to her lord's shoulder neatly.

As both sleeves are finally on, the girl walks to the front and wraps the kimono neatly before tying the yellow indigo obi around the demon lord's waist. Sesshoumaru attentively observes Rin tying a knot while humming a song happily.

"Done." The girl claps her hands with joy. The dog demon lowers his head to check on his attire, no one has ever helped to dress him up before and it feels a little gawky at this moment. He then looks up, noticing his wife seems to be satisfied as the content smiles haven't faded away from her glowing face. He is quite pleased with her current mood and as much as he doesn't want to break her happiness, something has to be cleared up.

"This is not necessary Rin." The human girl drops her smile at the sudden statement. Sesshoumaru hates to see that while Rin thinks that she has just failed the second task of being a wife of the western lord.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, this..." She bits her lower lips nervously before continuing, "That's all I can do for you." She forces a small smile to hide her disappointment.

Those words strike at the Taiyoukai's heart. It feels like a sharp knife slicing his heart into pieces. _What does she mean by "that's all"?_

The demon lord sighs uncharacteristically; his hand strays onto the girl's lower back pushing her towards him and their foreheads touch.

"Oh Rin, there are no particular tasks that you need to fulfill as my mate." His voice is firm yet comforting.

"But I..." Sesshoumaru's head rises as he growls softly, dismissing her statement.

"But you do have to promise me three things." He says seriously, emphasizing his words while tightening his arms around the girl's waist.

Rin gulps nervously, nods and signals her lord to continue.

"To stay safe, stay healthy and stay happy." He states with a smirk. The girl's brow furrows, analyzing the seriousness behind the demon lord's statement.

"That's all I have to do?" Her hazelnut eyes blink curiously, seeking for an answer.

"Yes mate all that and only that." He softly whispers it and rewards a kiss on the girl's forehead.

Receiving the kiss with a delightful smile gracing on her lips, the girl sighs with relief. Never has she thought that being a wife would be that easy.

As the girl looks back to face her lord, she can swear that she had caught a smirk on the Taiyoukai's face.

"While helping me to dress up may not be necessary, I find that the idea of helping you instead is kind of interesting." Sesshoumaru raises a single eyebrow causing him to strike his famous look.

Rin's brows lift in surprise and can't help but chuckle at the statement. She didn't know that the Taiyoukai is capable of teasing and on top of that be still able to maintain his aloof character.

"I don't think that is necessary." Pulling her mate's arms away the girl sticks her tongue out before walking past the dog demon to collect her kimono.

As the scent of a young pup approaches the hut, the western lord announces, "He is here."

Rin turns to Sesshoumaru and before she can ask whom he is talking about the shoji door pushes open hard enough that it hits the wall to cause a loud noise of contact between the wooden door and the wall.

"Father! Mother!" Yells the boy as he kicks off his slippers impatiently causing them to be thrown about at different angles across the room. He then dashes straight to his mother who is bending lower with open arms awaiting her little prince.

"Good morning mother!" Aito brushes his face on Rin's belly with his short arms tightly around his mother's waist. He just loves the scent that is lingering around the room especially around his mother. The scent of mating somehow makes the pup feel extremely comfortable and safe.

"Good morning my baby, tell me how was your story telling session with master Ryuuki last night." The girl brushes the boy's head tenderly.

The silver haired boy tilts his head up to look at his mother with excitement. "It was awesome! Master Ryuuki told us about the demons he had encountered and how he fought them."

"That's cool and how was your sleep then?" Rin cradles her son into her laps but sure catches an irritated look on the demon lord face.

"It was good but everyone had literally fallen asleep in an unorganized way so we were on each other. A boy had his legs lying on my stomach and I tried hard to push them away" Aito snuggles close to his mother and lies his head on one of her shoulders. The pup feels extremely pampered this morning.

"I would beat them all up for laying their filthy legs on my son." Sesshoumaru hisses. The furious statement stuns the young pup and a concerned human girl. Both mother and son turn to face the Taiyoukai, a pair of golden eyes blink confusedly while another pair of hazelnut eyes glances at the dog demon's reaction frightened.

"My lord this usually happens when all kids gather and sleep in a small space. There is nothing you should be angry about." The girl explains carefully.

"Besides Aito did have fun, right baby?" Rin looks down at the boy that nods in agreement.

"Father, we did bathe before we went to sleep. Their legs are not dirty at all." The boy answers confidently but unknown to him the western lord did not mean it in that way.

Rin laughs whole heartedly at her son's innocent replies while Sesshoumaru is left completely speechless. As much as he hates the village boys who had once despised his son, he can't afford to spoil whatever excitement that he fails to see in Aito.

As long as his pup is happy he will spare these human lives.

"Hn." The Taiyoukai turns away, it is at this moment his nostrils pick up an unwanted scent.

"We have an intruder." The demon lord alerts. The cat demon who looked like he was about to leave the room, turns back to face the family of the dog.

"I didn't intend to interfere, I apologize." Ryuuki lowers his head expressing his remorse. Walking close to the girl and slightly towering the girl, Sesshoumaru glares at the leopard demon.

"My mate is dressed inappropriately, leave now or you will face the consequences." Taken back a little by the dog demon's tempestuous growl, Ryuuki's gaze falls on the figure beside the Taiyoukai but looks away instantly.

Rin lowers her gaze to examine her current outfit and blushes; she then quickly pulls Aito closer to shield her body.

Th-the boys wish for Aito to join them at the river to freshen up. I am here to deliver this message. See you there boy." With his back facing the dog's family, the cat demon raises his right hand and waves at them before disappearing at the entrance.

"Hn." Hisses the western lord. Aito on the other hand releases himself from his mother's hold to jump excitedly.

"Yay! Yay!" The boy twirls joyfully before his mother grabs on one of his wrists and pulls him closer. She then brushes the boy's outfit to adjust it neatly.

"See you later for breakfast my son." The boy nods and runs past his father to the door but stops when his mother calls out.

"Aito pick up the sandals." The girl warns with a smile. Aito sticks his tongue out at his mother before picking up the sandals and putting them on his feet. He then waves at his parents with a huge grin worn on his face and leaves them behind to catch the cat demon.

As the boy's shadow disappears Rin stands up and pushes the shoji door close.

"Unnecessary interference." Sesshoumaru states coolly. The girl can't help but chuckle at what she has just witnessed. So the quote that dogs will never get along well with cats was not just merely a children's tale, it is true.

Sesshoumaru would always find a fault in whatever Ryuuki does. But then again Rin thought, it is so adorable to see the demon lord reacting in such a way. She continues to chuckle unaware of the Taiyoukai staring at her.

"What are you smiling about?" Rin snaps up at Sesshoumaru's serious voice. She covers her mouth with both hands, trying to hide the smile while shaking her head.

The western lord makes his way to where his wife is standing and reaches out his right hand to encircle around her waist. Pushing the girl closer to his chest, he whispers into her ears in a monotone like a purr.

"Like I said earlier, I am still keen on to dress you up." Sesshoumaru smirks, Rin with her hands still covering her mouth is completely unprepared for what is about to happen next. Her smile drops and the next she thing can feel is the western lord scooping her up abruptly. She yelps as the demon lord leads her back further into the bedroom to carry out his punishment.

Further outside of the hut, Ryuuki stops and side glances at his back with a rather disheartened sigh. The strong mating scent that lingers around the hut is driving the cat demon insane. Tilting his head high up to the blue sky, he breathes harder and exhales with a heavy heart.

Why the scent would trouble him so much? Is he upset? But why would he have to be disturbed? Rin never belonged to him so why would the mating scent bother him so much?

Dolefully Ryuuki sighs with his eyes shut tightly. Jealousy? Yes it has to be it, but there's nothing he can do about it. Stretching his right arm high out, he clenches his fingers into a loose fist. She is unreachable...

Moving his right fist onto his lips, the leopard demon squeezes his eyes shut in pain. All those memories between him and the girl will be buried inside his heart, forever.

A tuck on his hakama brings him back to the present. He looks down to see a silver haired boy staring at him with a pair of golden bewildered eyes.

"Master Ryuuki, you look to be in great pain. Are you alright?" Even the small kid can read the pain on his face. Has it been so obvious?

He kneels on the ground, leveling his position as the same with the boy's and smiles. "No pain, it is a bit stuffy over here. I guess I need to get away for some fresh air."

Aito frowns, head docks up slightly to sniff the air. Pleasant scent and the young pup just love it.

"But the air is quite fresh here." The boy murmurs almost like doubtfully whispering to himself.

Ryuuki chuckles at the boy's innocent comment. At a young age, Aito sure has higher curiosity than any other demon kids that he has ever encountered. _Inherited from that dog I presume_. He concludes.

Brushing the boy's hair Ryuuki rises "See you later." With that the leopard demon leaps into the sky and disappears leaving the pup behind scratching his head confusedly.

"I will ask father later about this." Answering his own doubts, the boy walks away in the direction that heads to the river.

As he passes the village entrance, a small thought crosses his mind. "Jaken!" He alters his path and runs in another direction.

"Jaken does look like he needs to be cleaned, I have to make sure he bathes today!" A large evil grin appears on his face as the boy observes around the village area to seek the green toad out.

Aito reaches upon an empty field and stops in his tracks as his sensitive ears pick up some noises. He investigates the source of the noise as it brings him to a large tree where he spots a little girl laughing happily with something in her hands.

When he steps closer, it reveals that the girl is pulling the green kappa's cheeks while chanting some words.

"Green green grass, green green leafs!" The little girl chuckles at the end of her words.

"Human! Put me down, I am not a grass or some nonsense leaf. Just leave me alone!" The poor green kappa yells. The girl then stops, she seems to be in deep thought for while before a huge grin wears on her face.

"Green toad! Small little toad, with small brain!" She continues chanting happily.

Jaken's patience wears thin, not only having to stay in this human village but also being insulted by this little kid is definitely pushing his patience to the limits. His sight lands on the staff of two heads, wishing he can reach it.

"What the hell do you mean by small head? You fool! I am the most loyal follower of th..." He is dropped on the grass before being able to complete the sentence.

Out of the corner of the little girl's eyes, she spots something that catches her interest. Her large brownish black eyes sparkle at the new target that is located nearby. She stands up and moves closer to the item. It sends a chills all over the green kappa's body knowing what will happen next. He too jumps up as fast as he can, trying to reach for his staff.

He fails; the girl is faster than him. She lifts her arms high up to the sky, preventing the toad demon from reaching it. Stepping backwards in an attempt to prevent the little kappa from snatching his staff and the girl collides with something. She tilts her head up at a boy who smiles at her.

"Boy help me to get my staff." Jaken instructs confidently but his jaw pops in astonishment upon hearing the pup's reply.

"Come on Jaken, no harm to let her play for awhile." Ignoring the green toad rambling Aito turns and grins at the little girl who is totally fascinated by the statement.

"Yay! Yue wins!" She twirls playfully, exhilaratingly bragging as she twists and dances around the poor green toad who has his head hangs low.

_Yue? _Aito glances at the girl who skips joyously. _She was the girl with father yesterday and her name is Yue._

"Enough!" Jaken screams at the top of his lungs. Both Aito and Yue stare at the little kappa with their eyes blinking blank. The green toad glares at the kids furiously, getting ready to charge at the girl.

"Green green toad is angry! Cute!" Yue laughs whole heartedly followed by Aito and that causes another loud scream from the poor kappa.

With that scream Yue tosses the staff of two heads up into the sky and sticks her tongue out at Jaken before speeding into the bushes. Unfortunately it lands exactly on the top of the green toad's head, sending him onto the dirty grass with a small bulge appearing on his head.

"Wait! Yue! Where are you going?" Aito follows the little girl right away leaving an extremely infuriated green kappa with his face buried in the grass, behind.

After about ten minutes of running, Yue stops and looks around. She has reached into this unfamiliar forest surrounded by trees and it frets the girl.

"Yue lost." The little girl whispers to herself, widens her eyes to inspect the environment. She bits her lower lips nervously, undecided on to continue pacing or to turn back. Unaware she is already being exposed to danger, two pairs of eyes are watching the girl hungrily and ready to attack as soon as the girl steps forward into the thick bushes.

Aito reaches at the spot where the girl is standing, the light wind blowing in the afternoon carries a strange scent to the nostrils of the young pup, he trembles a little. Looking at the unusual quietness in the forest it reminds him of the day in the deep forest where the three demons attacked him.

_This scent..._ Aito ponders with an uneasy mind. Like the demon lord once said, the boy has yet to master his sensing skills as he fails to locate the scent's whereabouts. Not wanting to waste time, he knows that he has to get the girl out of here as soon as he can.

"Yue!" The boy yells as he steps out from a small bush approaching at the girl's side. The demons who are hiding at the back of the thick bushes widen their eyes in disbelief.

The little girl turns to her back at the familiar voice, and feels so relieved to see the boy she met earlier. Without thinking, she stretches out her short arms to wrap around the boy's waist for a tight hug.

"Yue lost, scared." Her voice is unclear, she trembles out of fear. Stroking the girl's back for comfort, Aito keeps his alert towards the surroundings.

"Don't worry let's go back now." The girl trails off and nods with a toothy smile.

Aito holds Yue's right hand as both of them step away from the frustrated demons.

Behind the thick bushes, the tiger hisses at the losing prey as the Hyena shares the same resentment.

"Isn't that hanyou the son of Sesshoumaru?" The tiger snarls.

"Yes brother, how unfortunate to see the boy again." Hyena slams his fist into the grass angrily.

"Hey, why should we have to fear of that weak half demon? There is no scent of the Taiyoukai around. We could get the girl easily won't we?" The tiger demon snaps his fingertips at the brilliant suggestion as both of them rise to get out of the bushes, narrowing their hungry eyes in the direction of where their prey has gone.

"That's true; we might be able to exact a little revenge on the kid for our brother. It's time to teach the boy a lesson." An evil smirk curls on the tiger's lips as the hyena laughs victoriously at their plan.

At another side of the forest, the two lost kids continue searching their way out. They move at a pace that their short legs are capable of. Both of them are completely lost.

"Yue tired." The little girl complains, she swats the boy's hand away and sits on the dirty grass.

Aito turns to the girl, still keeping his alert level high. He knows that they are still being watched. Kneeling at the girl's side he can see the girl's exhausted face. He can't afford to allow the girl to rest now knowing they are probably in danger.

"Come." Aito turns with his back facing Yue, both of his hands stay at the sides to offer the girl a ride.

Yue is clueless, her eyes blink perplexed. Instead of getting on his back the little girl crawls to the boy's side and lowers herself to catch a look of his face.

"Play play?" She inquires excitedly.

Aito can't help but to laugh out loud at the girl. She is so adorable.

"Yes we will play but not now. Climb on my back I will carry you so you don't have to walk." He shifts the position with his back now again facing the little girl.

"No walk! Yue rest!" She hops onto the boy's back and wraps her arms around his neck. Securing the girl's legs on both his sides, Aito stands up slowly and repositions the girl before they move on.

"Awww what a sweet scene to watch." Aito snaps at the voice from his back. Turning back he spots the same demon he met before, his jaw drops for a silent scream. _The tiger!_

The boy immediately paces away from the tiger but stops short as his path is being blocked by another demon. _The hyena is here too!_

"Why run little pup? Feel helpless with your father absences?" The hyena demon laughs sarcastically.

"What do you want?" Aito growls irately trying to keep his composure.

"Isn't that obvious? You have our prey on your back. Drop it now and we might spare your life." The tiger closes the distance between them, so does the hyena. Aito steps backward, tightens the grip on Yue's legs. _What am I going to do?_

Looking at the helpless hanyou the tiger smirks and lungs at the boy. Aito manages to dodge the strike but the hyena attacks from a different direction. He avoids the claws from the hyena but falls onto the grass. The little girl slips from his hold and falls at his side.

"Yue!" Aito instantly crawls to the girl to check her condition. A little bruise is visible on her elbow but thank god it is nothing worse. He sends a deadly glare at the demons only to earn loud laughter from them.

"Look at his face brother, feeling helpless? Want to shout for your great father?" the Hyena adds with another insolent comment. The young pup looks away, focusing on the girl.

"Yue, I know you are tired but you have to run as fast as you can to go back to the village. Please." The little girl nods as her heart pounds with dread.

"Good, you have to get help, deal?" He whispers into the girl's ear. She nods again and earns a pat on her head. Aito forces himself to stand up before helping the girl up. Turning back to face the demons with hatred laden golden eyes, the boy growls keeping the little girl behind him.

Taking the pup's growls as a cue for a fight, both tiger and the hyena demon leap into the air, positioning their claws landing at lightning speeds. Aito pushes Yue as hard as he can and yells "Run!"

Unfortunately, the young pup has miscalculated his enemy's strategy. Instead of both attacking him, it is only the tiger demon who lands on his side. His claws dig into the boy's left shoulder and scratches his flesh. A small amount of blood drips and soaks the sleeve.

On the other side, the hyena demon pins Yue down, aiming his sharp claws close to her neck.

"No!" With a hand pressing on the wound, Aito struggles to gets up. A blow coming from the tiger hits directly on the boy sending him gliding all the way to the nearby tree.

"Don't worry Yue," Aito coughs slightly. "I will save you. Do not fear." He smiles at the frightened girl who is still under the hold of the hyena demon's claw.

Yue watches Aito rise but only to fall when another blow comes from the tiger demon. Numerous attacks take place as the young pup is now being pushed by a glowing blow and has his back hit on a giant tree.

The horrible scene before Yue brings tears at the corner of her eyes. She is generally a strong girl, hardly even wails when wounded. Remembering the Taiyoukai's words yesterday, praising her bravery, the girl feels proud to be strong but what is happening to Aito now is so painful to watch.

Looking intensely at the young pup, Yue finds similarities in him and the demon lord she met yesterday. His beautiful silver hair, the pale skin and his attire, all of those reminds her greatly of the great dog demon Sesshoumaru.

"Moon" Another bead of tear drops. "No, stop it Yue sad." Upon hearing these words, the hyena demon looks down with a snicker.

"Worry not little girl, this will end soon." He continues to burst into another laugh.

Aito is being pushed to the tree for fourth time, but has not given up. He rises on his knees, head tilts up with his fangs bared in anger.

"Oh boy, do you realize how weak you are?" The tiger steps closer in front of the young pup who hisses fiercely.

"I am not weak! My father said I am a lot stronger than any other kid." Yells Aito crossly.

"Boy, your determinations amazes me. What about I give you a last chance to prove to your father that you are a worthy son of the Taiyoukai?" The hyena demon suggests as he brings the little girl up, with an arm wrapped across her chest.

"I will count to 3 and if you make it to save this girl, you can bring her home safely. But if you don't," Aiming his sharp claws on the girl's neck, he continues. "She will die."

"No..." Aito crawls forward.

"One," The tiger starts the counting. Aito gets up, ignoring all the pain that shoots through his veins and speeds as fast as he can. _I have to save Yue!_

There is no way a small pup like Aito can be able to beat the short counting. When the number rises to three the boy is only a few inches away from the hyena. He stretches out one of his arms to get a hold of Yue but unfortunately, it is too late.

"Yue!" Aito screams, his golden orbs widen at the horrific sight of sharp claws piercing through the little girl's neck. His jaw drops at the blood that is oozing out from her mouth.

The boy's heart sinks with greatest pain at the appalling expression worn on the girl's face. Dropping on his knees with his hands digging into the soil, he growls desperately.

'NO!" It is followed by the evil victorious laughter from the demons.

Back to the village

Rin pushes the shoji doors close and makes her way to the table to set the worn kimono on top of it. Sitting in front of the table, the girl folds the cloth neatly with a blissful smile. Taking the obi closer to her face, she inhales in taking the scent that coats the fabric with her face flushing red.

Being loved is such a wonderful feeling especially being loved by the Taiyoukai. The girl reaches out her right hand to pinch her cheek just to make sure that she is not dreaming. The feeling is just too wonderful to be true.

_Does happiness truly belong to me?_ Rin doubts. She remembers the very first time when the great dog demon made her a woman under the beautiful moonlight night. The happiness of him returning her crush and sealing their fate was truly sweetly blissful. But what happened after being loved so contently? She ended up in a miserable path.

_Can this time be any different? How long will this heavenly and joyous feeling last? _

Rin sets the obi down on top of the kimono, if fate has once again decided to play around she would be gladly to accept it. Sesshoumaru has given her everything, the safe protection, the strong support and the undeniable love. What more can a mere human girl like her ask for?

_But then again..._ moving her hands to adjust the collar line of her current kimono, she slips her fingers to the nape of her neck and gently rubs on the mating mark, a precious gift from her Lord Sesshoumaru.

Despite the fact that the western lord hated humans since the birth of Inuyasha, he accepted Rin as his mate. An ordinary helpless girl who would only burden the demon lord.

_If Lord Sesshoumaru can dissolve such a great hatred towards humans by taking me as his official wife, how can I do anything less?_ The girl ponders, _No matter what happens in the future I will always stay at my lord's side, forever and ever._

A soft tap on one of Rin's shoulders brings her back to the present. She looks to her right to see fingers, she follows those fingers that are attach to a hand, which is in-turn attached to an arm, which is attached to a shoulder and then a neck, followed by Tsuyu's face.

The lady smiles as she releases her hand away. "You seem to be in deep thoughts. What ails you dear?" Tsuyu takes up the seat next to the girl.

Rin returns the smile as she shakes her head mildly. "It's nothing."

Tsuyu takes the young girl's hands and squeezes her knuckles.

"Rin, I am so happy that you have finally reunited with your loved one." Patting the girl's hands gently, Tsuyu wipes away a small bead of tears that formed at the corner of her eyes.

"Thank you Tsuyu san, this is so unbelievable and it feels like a dream." The girl states gratefully.

"Rin, listen to me, from now on don't shoulder all the burdens. Allow the young lord to share it and overcome whatever obstacles lie in the near future." Resting her hands on the young girl's shoulders she squeezes it.

"Give Aito a complete family. That poor kid needs his father's guidance." Tsuyu leans forward for a loose hug. Rin slips her hands under the lady's arms for a tight hold.

She feels so protected, if it wasn't for this lady who has been helping her constantly for the past four years, her life could have been more difficult. Tsuyu reminds her so much of Kaede, a very caring old lady who had always been there to listen her problems, like a mother.

Breaking away from the embrace the young girl tilts her head to left and right remembering the memories she had in this village and the best times she had in the kitchen. At the thought of the Geisha house the curiosity about the place being destroyed kicks in.

"Tsuyu san, I was wondering if you know what had happened to the Geisha house. I was there yesterday but can only see an empty field." The lady stares at Rin with a rather puzzled expression. Somehow the lady's reaction tells her that she is supposed to know about it.

"Is it related to Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin adds, impatiently waiting for an answer.

Tsuyu ponders why the demon lord has not told the girl about the incident. She takes a deep breath and exhales; thinking probably the young lord doesn't wish tell his mate. But looking at Rin's innocent face, she can't resist and hide the truth.

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru destroyed the house with a solid reason." Rin nods without surprise; she mouths a silent 'oh' and looks away. She knows that her lord would seek vengeance for her.

"I was surprised that the young lord spared Orna's life especially after she admitted to selling information on you to the evil brothers. Though she said it was an act out of depression for her life was in danger but she shouldn't have sacrificed you." The old lay sighs with disappointment.

"I wouldn't blame Orna san though, those brothers were wicked, and they would no doubt slaughter her." Rin says support of Orna as her hazelnut eyes softens with sympathy, feeling guilty to put someone else in danger for her sake.

"Even then, she has no right to sacrifice you. She should have come to me after that and I would have got Ryuuki to deal with them." Tsuyu adds with frustration. Rin remains silent; a part of her feels sorry for the owner but what the lady has pointed out is valid too.

"Don't feel bad my dear, Lord Sesshoumaru was right, majority of humans tend to be selfish when their life is in danger. I would still deny it though if I didn't hear it myself." Rin nods, knitting her brows in concern.

"Where is Orna san now?" Tsuyu catches the girl's uncertainty behind her question.

"She has left the village under the young lord's instruction." Rin's lips part for a silent 'o' feeling relief to know that.

Tsuyu pats on Rin's laps, "Come we should meet up with the boy for breakfast." The girl inclines her head as she rises to help the old lady to stand up. They then walk towards the entrance but are startled when someone pushes the shoji doors open hard enough to hit the wall. The wide open door reveals Akemi standing at the door frame.

"What are you doing Akemi? You scared us dear!" Tsuyu presses her right hand over her chest, calming herself down.

"I am sorry Tsuyu san, but something has happened and I have to inform you two." Akemi looks panicky and it worries the duo.

"Akemi, what happened?" Rin asks nervously.

"Yue is nowhere to be found and everyone said they haven't see her since morning. I tried to get Aito instead but they said he too is missing since morning." Both Tsuyu and Rin are distressed at the news.

"Yue?"

The old lady turns to Rin and explains. "She was the little girl with the young lord yesterday."

Rin nods but immediately presses further. "But Aito left with master Ryuuki this morning, I believe he said they will be heading to the river."

Akemi frowns, "But the village men said they saw neither Ryuuki nor Aito at the river.

Rin's jaw drops in disbelief, she exists the entrance and as fast as she can.

"Rin! Where are you going?" Tsuyu shouts with Akemi clutching at her shoulder.

"I am going to find Lord Sesshoumaru." With that reply she paces as fast as she can to get to the demon lord.

At the main entrance of the village, Jaken enters with Ah-Un tagging along; he sees Rin running clumsily, she looks to be lost.

"Rin!" Yells the little kappa as the girl stops her in tracks and turns to the green toad's side.

"Master Jaken, did you see Aito anywhere?" The girl asks worriedly while still panting.

Jaken cocks his head to one side, with his eyes closed raising his head up as a sign in annoyance.

"Of course I did, he teamed up with the human girl and try to snatch my staff of two heads. I showed my wrath with my power and they know I am not someone who can be easily messed with." His chest puffs up with pride as he tells a fake story.

"Where are they now?" Her voice rises in nervousness.

"The girl ran into the forest and Aito followed suit." With his chest still puffed up he answers coolly.

"What? And you did not follow them? How can you let the two of them wander into the forest? What if something happened?" Anger flushes in as her voice turns out as a low yell.

"Worry not about them, once they are hungry they will be back." The toad parts his large eyes and notices Rin's jaw popped wide open in disbelief.

"What girl?" Annoyance kicking in as the little kappa is not happy being questioned.

"They are missing! No one has seen them since morning. How can you be so heartless master Jaken? Aito is only four years old and the little girl is barely three." With that statement, Rin turns away from the green toad. She runs as fast as she can to find the Taiyoukai leaving Jaken behind trembling with fear and guilt.

Meanwhile Sesshoumaru reaches a small river and sees no one around. He thinks that Aito probably has returned to the village for his morning meal. Something is disturbing the Taiyoukai's peace of mind.

He scans the surrounding intently; it is too peaceful as if something terrible has happened that it scared away all the creatures nearby. Not even birds present are at this moment.

But what is more confusing is the Tenseiga that is strapped faithfully at his side was pulsating awhile ago and now it vibrates uncontrollably. It hints something and the demon lord is sure that it will be something bad. He steps further to investigate, but nothing extraordinary has been spotted.

He would like to check further into the forest but it will be best now to ensure that Rin and Aito are safe in the village before taking his leave.

Walking back to the village, he sees Ryuuki has his back leaning against a tree nearby. Ignoring the cat demon Sesshoumaru walks past him but stops by the leopard's statement.

"Be sure Rin will not run away again or I swear you will not be able to find her again." Sesshoumaru glares at Ryuuki at the corner of his eyes. He doesn't need or care to answer for he will never let the girl walk away from his side anymore.

"Your concern is not necessary." The western lord resumes his walk but at this moment Rin's image appears from afar, panic worn all over her face.

She forces a small smile as soon as she sees the demon lord. Ryuuki straightens his back as Rin dashes to Sesshoumaru and clutches his left arm tightly. Trying to catch her breath, the demon lord encircles his right arm around the girl's waist with the left hand stroking her back.

"Lord Sess-houmaru, Aito... he is missing." A bead of tear is visible at the corner of her eyes but she inhales deeply, forcing the tear back into her eyes.

By hearing the shocking news Ryuuki walks closer to the duo. "How is that possible? I saw him heading to the lake before I went off." The leopard demon adds immediately. Rin glances at Ryuuki as she moves to lean on the Taiyoukai's chest for support.

"He did not make it to the river and no one has seen him since morning." With her hands now resting on the demon lord's armored chest, the girl looks up at her lord.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, master Jaken told me both Aito and Yue had gone into the forest. But they have not returned yet." Tightening the hold around his concerned wife's waist; the Taiyoukai pushes few strands of the girl's hair at the back of the girl's left ear.

"Who's Yue?" He is puzzled.

"She was the little girl with you yesterday." She explains with a rather shaky voice.

"How did Jaken know about them?" Sesshoumaru frowns finding it bizarre.

"I am not sure but master Jaken said they were snatching his staff and he did something to defend that's when they ran into the forest. My lord, we have to find Aito and Yue now, they are too young to be alone. I am very worried." Rin stutters before gulping in fear.

"Rin, return to the village and wait for me." The girl protests clutching at her lord's right arm in dissatisfaction.

"I will go with you." She pouts. Sesshoumaru strokes at her back for comfort.

"No, you will wait here in case they return. I will be back soon with the kids." Pressing his lips on the girl's forehead, he trails off and leaps into the blue sky.

_Please be safe my son._ Rin clasps her hands in silent prayer. Ryuuki closes in to put his hands on both of the girl's shoulders. Turning her head to the leopard demon, she smiles.

"They will be fine, come let's wait for them in the village." Rin nods, allowing the cat demon to lead her back inside the village.

At the open field in the center of the forest, a dead body of a little girl lays on the dirt with her eyes wide open, seeking for help. Aito drops on his knees, dugs his fingers into the soil feeling deeply helpless and useless.

Mischievous laughter enters the pup's poor ears; he hates it but what more can he do? He wants to fight back but feels weak. At this point, the boy indeed feels he is weak and feels ashamed to be the son of Sesshouamru.

He punches his small fist on the dirt beneath him, he loves his father but it pains him so much to knows how worthless he is next to his powerful father.

"See how weak you are child? She was just right in front of you and you failed to save her. Blame no one but yourself for having a human mother." Those insulting words from the tiger demon get absorbed into the young pup's ears, clear and loud. His head hangs low, his eyes shut tightly until his forehead reaches the ground. No, he has never ever felt ashamed to have a human mother. She is lovely and caring. Like his father once said, his mother is the strongest woman ever.

Wrath fills his veins but no immediate response from the pup. He feels immune, his mind all of a sudden feels so light. Slowly he has lost his senses, he heeds nothing, feels no pain and it is almost like he is floating in the air. _Have they gone?_ They must be, Aito thinks. _Perhaps, father is here..._ With that thought the last thing that his nostrils pick up is a familiar scent.

_Father..._

"Let's go brother; the boy is no fun to play with anymore." The hyena demon nods, as he scoops Yue's body up with an arm and turns to leave. A figure of a woman stands a few meters away from the demons. Both tiger and hyena demons stop.

"Ah, so that's how we earn the name 'monster' huh? It is because you people, low class demons, attacked a poor human child." The lady moves forward and reveals her appearance.

She has silver-ish long white hair, a blue crescent moon on her forehead with a single magenta stripe at the top of each cheek. She wears a light purple kimono with a dark blue coat hanging at her lover arms. A fur wrapped around her chest as well as at the bottom of the outer blue coat.

"Why you! Mind your own business woman!" Warns the tiger demon. The demoness presses her finger on her forehead as she shakes her head lightly.

"You sure are rude child." Adjusting the pearl necklace that drapes around her neck, the lady turns and disappears in the blink of an eye.

"Such a weird demoness." Adds the hyena demon as he approaches the side of the tiger.

"Yea she sure is but she looks kind of familiar don't you think so?" Hyena waves his hand in the air to discard the tiger's question.

"Forget it, let's move on, can't wait to eat that delicious girl." Licking his tongue around his lips, both demons step forward again but this time they are interrupted again by some strange chuckles at their side.

"Oh I kind of forgot to tell you that I love justice. The fact that you two killed the little girl in such a horrible way kind of disturbs me." Both demons growl furiously at the remarks but it doesn't intimidate the lady at all. Instead, she steps closer to them, golden eyes glowing with some kind of joy.

"Ah, my poor hell hound has been hibernating way too long. It is time to let it out to have some fun." The lady smirks with her hands holding a round amulet that is attached to her pearl necklace. In a few seconds some light forms at the center of the amulet as a giant hell hound appears before the demons.

As the hell hound charges but the two demons are able to dock the first attack and now split into two different directions. Yue's body is now placed on the ground. Transforming into their true form, they growl at the hell hound.

"Not bad for warming up but more to come." The lady's purple painted lips curl upward into a smirk. As the battle continues the demoness pays no interest to the fight that she knows the victory will be hers. Instead her golden orbs shifts focus to the left onto the strange boy.

In a leisurely manner, the lady steps closer, observing the poor kid carefully. It is at this moment, she can smell a demonic aura emanating from the boy's body, a scent that is very familiar to her nostrils.

The lady frowns, lowering her gaze to get a better view of the boy. She can hear him murmuring some words. Her curiosity level increases when the demonic aura strengthens as the boy slowly tilts his head up.

Her golden eyes widen flabbergasted, disbelief with what has revealed in front of her. As the boy heads up slowly it reveals a proud blue crescent moon at the center of his forehead followed by the beautiful double magenta stripes on his cheeks. As a gusty wind blowing carries his silver hair away, it reveals a pair of pointed ears which resemble someone so dear to the lady.

"Sesshoumaru!"

* * *

**Chapter end notes:**

That's the wrap up for chapter 23. Next chapter, Rin will be face to face with the woman that changed her life. I promise not to take another 4 months to update my next chapter. (^_^)

Big applause to **darkrosetears** for being my **300th** reviewer! Thank you for reading my first fanfiction dear, I hope you are still with me after a long break. (^_^)

Coming up next update: Chapter two for Twist of Fate and follow by The Red String of Fate.

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**Anonymous review reply:**

**Jolie** – Thanks for your faithful reviews my dear. Haha I would love to have Aito change Jaken's attire if my Beta allows me to XD Yes Ryuuki is a great man, unfortunately Rin's heart always belongs to Sesshoumaru hehe ... I was nervous to write the intimate scenes and happy to know that it turned out good. You will get to know more about the lady soon Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year dear *huggles*

**Kate** – Welcome on board, I am sorry for taken 4 months to update, hopefully you are still with me. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year dear *huggles*

**rinxsessh4everpluskid**- Welcome on board dear, thanks for the review. Hope you like this chapter. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year dear *huggles*

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**Registered members review reply:**

As I don't remember whether I have reply to my registered readers I shall recorded million thanks to the following members below. Thank you for staying with me guys.

Inuyasha vs Sesshomaru, TheLionQueenATLA, darkrosetears, bookworm4ever81, Destinies Entwined, Taraline, Caraline Fisher, ElheiM, Zuma12121, Lynn-forever-01, smalltea, icecreamapparition, Jaylonni Love, Dontgotaclue88, and DivineRose91.

Thank you to everyone who has favorite/ alert this story especially those who's doing this for the past 4 months where I have not even update my story.

Big hugs and million kisses.

Merry belated Christmas and A Happy New Year my friends!


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